An award-winning poet and playwright, a web entrepreneur, a leading judge, and an actress and singer are among those who will be honoured during this year’s degree ceremonies at Aberystwyth University.

Graduation Week 2018 takes place over four days, from Tuesday 17 until Friday 20 July, in the Great Hall at Aberystwyth University’s Arts Centre.

Eight 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.

Two Honorary Bachelor degrees will also be presented.

These are conferred on 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.

Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Aberystwyth University’s Vice-Chancellor said: “Graduation is a real highlight of the University calendar; an occasion when we celebrate the success of our graduates and welcome their families and supporters to Aberystwyth. It is also an opportunity to honour those who have made exceptional individuals in their respective fields, as Fellows of the University.

“We also celebrate the valuable contribution made by members of our local community. We look forward to recognising the enormous contributions of a philanthropist who has organised and led no fewer than fifty humanitarian missions to help the innocent victims of war, and an actress and singer whose career over five decades has included performances on stage, television, film, and radio, with the awarding of Honorary Batchelor Degrees.”

The 2018 Aberystwyth University Honorary Fellows are (in order of presentation):

Ann Sumner

Art historian, exhibition curator and museum director, Professor Ann Sumner was Head of Fine Art for Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales from 2000-07, and Director and Professor of Fine Arts and Curatorial Practice at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham from 2007-12, before being appointed Head of Cultural Engagement at the University of Leeds. Educated at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, she undertook her PhD at Newnham College, Cambridge. She began her career at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and held curatorial positions at the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Harewood House Trust and the Holburne Museum, University of Bath.  She was recently appointed Chair of the Methodist Modern Art Collection.

Professor Ann Sumner will be presented during Ceremony 1 on Tuesday morning, 17 July by Professor Robert Meyrick, Head of the School of Art.

Menna Elfyn

Award winning poet and playwright, Professor Menna Elfyn is one of the foremost Welsh-language writers. Writing with passion of the Welsh language and identity, her work has been published for five decades. She has published fourteen volumes of poetry, many children’s books and anthologies, stage plays, adaptations and scripts for television, radio plays, libretti, and several television documentaries. She is the most translated of all modern Welsh-language poets, her work having been translated into over twenty languages. She was the Welsh-language Children’s Poet Laureate in 2002-03. Professor Menna Elfyn is Director of the Masters Programme in Creative Writing at University of Wales Trinity Saint David and a Literary Fellow at Swansea University.

Menna Elfyn will be presented during Ceremony 2 on Tuesday afternoon, 17 July by Eurig Salisbury from the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies.

Euryn Ogwen Williams

The broadcaster and seminal figure in Welsh media, Euryn Ogwen Williams was brought up in Leeswood near Mold in Flintshire. He 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 and independently. When Welsh language broadcaster S4C was set up in 1982 he became its first Director of Programmes, and from 1988 until 1991 was the channel’s deputy CEO. 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 many 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 will be presented during Ceremony 3 on Wednesday morning, 18 July by Dr Jamie Medhurst from the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies.

John Dawes

Former rugby union player and coach, John Dawes OBE, won his first Wales cap in 1964 aged 23.  An Aberystwyth alumnus (Chemistry, 1962), he went on to win a further 21 caps for Wales over the subsequent decade – six as captain; including of the Grand Slam winning side of 1971.  He captained the 1971 British Lions tour of New Zealand, where they became the first and only team to date to win a series in New Zealand. After retiring as a player, he was the coach of the Wales national side from 1974-1979, winning the Five Nations Triple Crown four times in five seasons, including two Grand Slams. He also coached the British Lions tour to New Zealand in 1977. He was made an OBE in the 1972 New Year’s Honours List for services to sport. He holds a proud record for any Welshman – as a player or coach he never lost to an England side.

John Dawes will be presented during Ceremony 4 on Wednesday afternoon, 18 July by Dr Rhys Thatcher from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences.

Milwyn Jarman

His Honour Judge Milwyn Jarman QC was born into a farming family at Llanllwchaearn near Newtown, Powys.  After attending Newtown High School and Montgomery College of Further Education, he came to Aberystwyth to study law. He took a masters at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, before reading for the Bar exams at Gray’s Inn. He then became a pupil barrister in Chambers at 34 Park Place (later 9 Park Place), Cardiff, from where he would practice for the next 27 years, developing a speciality for business and property, planning and public law cases, and eventually becoming Head of the Chambers.  He became a Recorder of the Crown Court in 2000 assigned to the Wales and Chester Circuit, and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2001. He was appointed as the Specialist Chancery Judge for Wales in 2007, and sits as a judge of the High Court in the Queen’s Bench Division, Administrative Court and as an Upper Tribunal Judge.

His Honour Milwyn Jarman QC will be presented during Ceremony 5 on Thursday morning, 19 July by Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, Pro Chancellor of Aberystwyth University.

Bonamy Grimes

Web entrepreneur Bonamy Grimes MBE grew up in west Wales 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 will be presented during Ceremony 6 on Thursday afternoon, 19 July by Dr Bernie Tiddeman, Head of the Department of Computer Science.

John Thompson

John Thompson graduated in Computer Science from Aberystwyth in 1992, and started his career in technical 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 will be presented during Ceremony 6 on Thursday afternoon, 19 July by Professor Qiang Shen, Director of the Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science.

Ian Hopwood

Aberystwyth International Politics alumnus Ian Hopwood has worked in the field of development for over 40 years, at UNICEF headquarters in New York and on field assignments in Africa, Asia, and the Arab Gulf States.  As UNICEF Representative in Guinea, Zambia and Senegal, he was actively engaged in child rights advocacy, aid effectiveness and UN reform, poverty reduction strategies, and Millennium Development Goals action plans.  He has continuously sought to improve evaluation quality and organisational learning, and to strengthen links between research, policy formulation, programming practice and evaluation, and was UNICEF’s Evaluation Chief from 1996-2000. Since retiring from UNICEF, he has guided the Senegalese Evaluation Association (of which he is Honorary President), lectured on monitoring and evaluation and the rights of children at Sciences Po (Paris) and Cheikh Anta Diop University (Dakar), and undertaken consultancies for a number of charities, aid agencies and global development programs.

Ian Hopwood will be presented during Ceremony 7 on Friday morning, 20 July by Professor Milja Kurki from the Department of International Politics.

Honorary Bachelor Degrees

Sue Jones-Davies

Sue Jones-Davies graduated from Bristol University in 1971, before embarking on a career as an actress and singer. She has worked in TV, 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 in Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) and Solomon and Gaenor (1999) which received an Oscar nomination as 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. She is an Aberystwyth town councillor for Plaid Cymru and was Mayor of Aberystwyth from 2008-2009.

Sue Jones-Davies will be presented with an Honorary Bachelor of Arts Degree during Ceremony 3 on Wednesday morning, 18 July by Dr Anwen Jones, Head of the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies.

Eric Harries

Retired Station Manager of Aberystwyth Fire Station, Eric Harries organised and led 50 humanitarian missions from Aberystwyth to Bosnia, Croatia, Belarus and Romania over an 18 year period from 1994-2013.  Compelled to help the innocent victims of war, he started a campaign engaging with the local community and the media to raise awareness of the vital need for humanitarian assistance and supplies, and co-ordinated collections and fundraising across Ceredigion.  He then used his annual leave to drive his van on the 3,500 mile journey to take food, toiletries and medical supplies to the areas affected by war. His philanthropic efforts benefitted the lives of countless people.

Eric Harries will be presented with an Honorary Bachelor of Science Degree during Ceremony 7 on Friday morning, 20 July by Dr Elin Royles from the Department of International Politics.

Meic Stephens

The author and scholar 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.

Photo:  Lance Batchelor, the CEO of Saga plc, was presented with an Honorary Fellowship of Aberystwyth University in 2017

Link: 

Graduation 2018

https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/graduation/

Press release:

PEOPLE V THE STATE: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS SINCE THE BATTLE FOR PEMBREY AND CEFN SIDAN

In 1969, the communities of Burry Port and Pembrey commenced a David v Goliath battle against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to prevent it from relocating the Shoeburyness gunnery range, (which had to be relocated due to the proposal to build a third London airport) from Essex to the range it owned at Pembrey.

This would turn the area lying between Cefn Sidan and Kidwelly into a huge gunnery range, shooting missiles into the sea towards Gower.

The implications of such a plan would jeopardise the lives and livelihoods of the residents of Carmarthen Bay from Gower to south Pembrokeshire.

From the 1940s – 1960s the state and its institutions had commandeered Welsh land and uprooted community after community from the mountains of Merionyddshire to the uplands of Breconshire.

This was not going to happen here.

The residents of Burry Port and Pembrey fought the project with direct action and hard campaigning, invoking the spirit of their fearsome wrecker ancestors, the Little Hatchet Men.

Committees were formed in communities stretching from Swansea to Tenby to support the cause which the powers that be at the time took as a fait accompli.

This was a fight undertaken by people of all ages and the women were crucial to its success, as so many of the menfolk were working shifts in the region’s heavy industries.

Slandered and derided by the then Welsh Secretary, George Thomas, surveilled and raided by Special Branch, these brave women and their families took on the might of the British state and won.

If this battle had been lost, Pembrey Country Park and Cefn Sidan would not exist as we know it today.

It was a significant part of modern Welsh history which has been sadly neglected and this significant anniversary is the perfect time to inform todays’ communities of the enormity of the challenge faced by their forefathers.

Some of the original campaigners have now formed a committee to highlight this brave endeavour and are looking for interested parties to join in the celebration and commemoration of this fight.

One of the original campaigners, Mr Mike Clement said:

“It was, in effect, the biggest battle for the land that this area of Carmarthenshire has seen since medieval times and united the people of the coastal communities from Tenby to Swansea. 

We are looking at ways of commemorating this vitally important piece of quite recent history, as it has been forgotten and we think it of huge importance that the younger generations learn about their heritage and the fight that their grandparents and parents undertook. Against all odds!”

There will be a buffet meal at Caffi Lolfa, Burry Port on Friday 20^thJuly at 6.30 pm.

If you can offer some creative ideas and some spare time to volunteer, please come along but book ahead due to limited numbers.

Caffi Lolfa, is at 4 Stepney Rd, Burry Port.
SA16 0BH
Call the Caffi at 01554 834148

For further information contact:
Peter Freeman (Committee Chair)
ianto47@gmail.com  Mobile # 07495 273912
Joanna Davies (Secretary/Treasurer)
jojocymru@yahoo.co.uk  Mobile 07805 095685

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

We continue our look at pensions in Money Matters this week, after starting to put the spotlight on pension schemes a fortnight ago.

The role of trustees is hugely important in any company pension scheme.

To explain further . . .

A trustee is a person or company, acting separately from an employer, who holds assets for the beneficiaries of the pension scheme.

Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the pension scheme is run properly and that members’ benefits are secure.

In fulfilling their role, trustees must be aware of their legal duties and responsibilities.

The law requires trustees to have knowledge and understanding of, among other things, the law relating to pensions and trusts, the funding of pension schemes and the investment of scheme assets.

A code of practice has been issued by The Pensions Regulator (TPR), explaining what trustees need to do in order to comply with the law in this area.

Trustees should arrange appropriate training as soon as they are appointed and should then continue with their learning to keep their knowledge up to date.

New trustees have six months from their appointment date to comply with this requirement.

Trustees have a number of very important duties and responsibilities, which include:

• acting impartially, prudently, responsibly and honestly and in the best interests of scheme beneficiaries
• acting in line with the trust deed, scheme rules and the legal framework surrounding pensions

In addition to these general duties, trustees also have a number of specific duties and tasks that they must carry out.

The main tasks are to ensure the following happen.

Contributions:

The employer accurately pays over contributions on time. There are strict rules covering this area.

Financial records and requirements:

The right benefits are paid out on time.

An annual report is prepared.

An auditor’s statement is obtained confirming details of the payment of contributions to the scheme and, if required, an audit of the scheme accounts is arranged.

Investment

The pension fund is properly invested in line with the scheme’s investment principles and relevant law.

Professional advisers:

Suitable professional advisers are appointed as running a pension scheme is complicated and often specialist advice will be needed.

Pension scheme records:

Full and accurate accounting records are kept, which include records of past and present members, transactions into, and out of, the scheme and written records of trustees’ meetings.

Members:

Members and others are provided with information about the scheme and their personal benefits.

Registration, the scheme return and collecting the levy:

TPR is provided with information required by law for the register, that the scheme’s annual return is completed and the annual levy for the scheme is paid.

Related matters:

Where a breach of law takes place and it is likely to be materially significant to TPR, trustees and indeed others involved in running the scheme have a legal duty to report the breach to the regulator. Code of practice 01, ‘Reporting breaches of the law’ provides guidance on the factors that should be considered when deciding to make a report.

In addition, trustees also have to notify TPR when particular scheme-related events happen. These are known as ‘notifiable events’, also the subject of a code of practice.

The trustees of most schemes must make an annual report available within seven months of the scheme year end. The report usually includes:

• a trustees report, containing investment, legal and administrative information about the scheme
• actuarial information, if applicable
• governance information, if applicable
• the audited accounts and audit report.

If something does go wrong with the pension scheme, trustees may be held personally liable for any loss caused as a result of a breach of trust.

This could happen when, for example:

• a trustee carried out an act which is not authorised under the trust deed and scheme rules
• a trustee fails to do something that should have been done under the trust deed and scheme rules
• a trustee does not perform one or more of their duties under trust law or pension legislation or does not perform them with sufficient care.

The rules of the pension scheme might protect trustees from personal liability for a loss caused by breach of trust, except where it is due to their own actual fraud.

In some cases, the employer may provide indemnity insurance for the trustees.

At Clay Shaw Butler, we produced regularly updated Factsheets on pensions and other tax matters.

Get in touch if you have any queries.

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.

A major new EU backed initiative to help companies in Wales exploit the fast-growing spatial intelligence market is being led by Aberystwyth University.

The Geographical Data and Earth Observation for Monitoring (GEOM) programme sees scientists at the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University collaborate with QineitQ to help Welsh companies exploit state-of-the-art satellite and drone technology.

Data provided by the technology can provide vital information for a range of sectors, including agriculture, energy, security, environment, transport and infrastructure.

The £3m initiative backed with £1.9m of EU funding through Welsh Government was announced by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford AM on Friday 13 July 2018.

Its aim is to identify new and innovative ways of capturing and analysing spatial intelligence and geospatial data through satellite and drone technology to develop market-ready products and services.

Mark Drakeford AM said: “This is another great example of how the Welsh Government is investing EU funds to position Wales as a competitive and outward-facing nation. Driving innovation through world-class research and expertise in our universities alongside businesses will secure investment and employability in this fast-growing sector. Wales has benefited hugely from EU funding over the years and this once again highlights the importance of securing replacement funding for Wales once the UK leaves the EU.”

The project will be led at Aberystwyth University by Dr Peter Bunting from the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences.

Dr Bunting said: “With the advent of mobile technologies, apps and smart systems linking with geospatial data derived from space systems these technologies are playing an even increasing role in our economy and day to day life. This rapidly growing area is just beginning to realise the potential for extracting spatial intelligence from drone technology. Through GEOM we can ensure that Welsh companies are at the forefront of this exciting and growing area, enabling job creation and the development of new products and services.”

Aberystwyth University will work with up to 25 companies, already using such technologies, to help address challenges affecting the environment, agriculture, transport, energy and infrastructure.

For example, drones can be used to map hazards such as overhanging trees or over steepened embankment slopes along railways lines that would be dangerous and expensive to collect on the ground.

Satellites can be used to monitor forest plantations to give early warning signs of disease or stress.

The Geographical Data and Earth Observation for Monitoring (GEOM) programme will focus on capturing data to enhance environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, transport and energy infrastructure, search and rescue, overseas aid/relief and geomatic surveying.

Links:
Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/dges/

Earth Observation and Ecosystem Dynamics Research Group
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/dges/research/earth-observation-laboratory/

Local school children have been the first to try out the new Closed Road Cycling Circuit at Pembrey Country Park.

A small section of the circuit was opened last Friday for a school cycling festival ahead of the full public opening in early August.

Final touches and safety testing is underway on the purpose-built 1.9km circuit, which will provide a safe, traffic-free environment for coaching and training as well as competitive cycling events and public recreation.

It has been designed and built to British cycling standard, with a 6m wide tarmac surface of varying gradients and bends, to attract local, regional and national events, races and training camps.

Some of the world’s top cyclists will also be using the circuit as part of the prestigious Tour of Britain which will start at Pembrey Country Park on Sunday, September 2.

Carmarthenshire County Council has contributed £500,000 capital funding towards the circuit, with support from Welsh Cycling and Sport Wales.

It is another investment the council has made in cycling infrastructure in the county as part of its ambition for Carmarthenshire to become the cycling hub of Wales.

Elsewhere the council has contributed to renovation of Carmarthen velodrome, and is spending millions on active travel routes, including the Towy Valley Path which is currently underway.

Executive Board Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Cllr Peter Hughes-Griffiths, said: “It was fantastic to see local school children using the closed road cycle circuit for the first time. Work has been delayed slightly due to the extreme warm weather we’ve had over the last few weeks so we hope to open the track up to the public in a few weeks’ time.

“This will be the best off road cycling circuit in Wales, if not the UK, which will no doubt attract cyclists from far and wide. There’s already been a huge amount of interest so we are expecting this will be a welcome boost to our tourism and leisure economy as people stay in the area to enjoy everything else Carmarthenshire has to offer, including miles of scenic cycle routes and trails.”

The circuit will be open to the public day to day and free to use, but will also be available for exclusive bookings, which will be managed by Welsh Cycling.

Further details on availability and how to book will be available on www.DiscoverCarmarthenshire.com/cycling over the coming weeks.

Speaking previously…

Bynea Cycling Club secretary Alan Smith said: “The new Pembrey road circuit will be the perfect venue and location for new cyclists to improve their cycling skills in a safe environment. The circuit will be used for training and racing which will be of benefit to experienced cyclists who may just want to ride sportives a little quicker all the way to the international and professional cyclists in south west Wales who will use the circuit to prepare for their competitions. Bynea Cycling Club look forward to supporting this fantastic facility.”

Roger Bowen from locally-based Amigo Cycling Club has also welcomed the facility: “This circuit will provide safe off-road cycling for the starter and experienced cyclist alike. With the links to the coastal path and the other cycle networks around Pembrey, Burry Port, Kidwelly and Llanelli it should greatly benefit the cycling community of Carmarthenshire.”

Pembrey CRCfrom Cyngor Sir Gâr | Carms Councilon Vimeo.

Fly-tipping at a service station in Llanelli has cost one man nearly £1,200.

Rennie Price was ordered to pay the money after he was caught on camera dumping rubbish behind the Shell garage in Dafen.

In a prosecution led by Camarthenshire Council, Llanelli magistrates heard that CCTV had picked up a loaded white Ford Transit tipper driving to the rear of petrol station at just after 9pm in August last year. Three minutes later the Treefellas truck was captured parked in the garage forecourt empty. The 47-year-old was the passenger.

Carmarthenshire Council enforcement officers caught up with the driver two days later and admitted that he and Price committed the crime thinking the location was a tip.

Despite two letters hand delivered to the address provided as Lleidi Crescent, there was no response. Two weeks later officers visited the address and the landlord confirmed it had been empty for a couple of weeks.

Contact was made with Dyfed Powys Police for assistance in tracing the male and Price.  Officers were informed that the vehicle had been stopped and the address provided by the driver was Creswell Road in Swansea. Another letter was sent to this address but no reply was received. Price claimed he no longer lived at this address.

Price was arrested on warrant on July 2 and appeared before Llanelli Magistrates Court. He admitted fly tipping and was fined £745, and told to pay £360 costs and £70 victim surcharge

The other male remains on a warrant.

The council’s executive board member for public protection, Cllr Philip Hughes said: “There is no place for fly tippers in this county. Dumped rubbish is unsightly and has a huge impact on the environment. We are determined to clean up our streets in Carmarthenshire and will continue to use our powers accordingly.”