The new Ysgol Parc y Tywyn in Burry Port has opened its doors to pupils for the first time.

Current pupils moved into their new £9.6 million school on Monday (July 9) at its new home near the harbour.

The Welsh medium school, which from September will include a new nursery offering part-time nursery provision, has been built to the highest energy efficiency standards, becoming the latest Passivhaus and BREEAM Excellent school building in Wales designed by the county council’s in-house Property Design team.

Welsh home grown timber is the principal structural material, and locally sourced softwoods provide the majority of the external rain cladding.

The council appointed Dawnus contractors to carry out the development.

The new school has been delivered through Carmarthenshire County Council’s Modernising Education Programme, and jointly funded by the Welsh Government.

Education executive board member Cllr Glynog Davies said: “What a great day today has been for staff and pupils in Burry Port and the surrounding areas as they move into their exciting and vibrant new school.
“Work has been completed in time for pupils to adjust to their new surroundings ahead of the start of the new school year in September.”

Headteacher Donna Jenkins, who will be retiring at the end of this term after 22-years, added: “It’s great to see this fantastic new school for Ysgol Parc y Tywyn. The school opened on October 4, 1965 with 49 pupils being enrolled on the first day, under the leadership of Mr Ken Jones. With this new school it’s safe to say that the future of Welsh education in Burry Port will continue to thrive. I would like to thank parents, governors and the council for securing this new school. It’s a very emotional time for me as I prepare to leave, but this is an exciting new chapter for the school. I am very proud of what we have achieved.”

Parents have until July 31 to apply for part time places at a new nursery class which opens in Ysgol Parc y Tywyn this September.

Visit the education pages on the council’s website to apply for a place.

Link

Housing officers from Carmarthenshire Council will be out in locations across Carmarthenshire this week and are keen to hear views on housing issues affecting your community.

We will be at Memorial Hall in Pontargothi on Tuesday (July 10) from 10am-11.30am then on to Llangadog Community Centre from 7pm-8.30pm.

On Wednesday we will be at Llangadog Community Centre from 10am-11.30am

Thursday at Hywel Dda Centre, Whitland from 10am -11.30am and 6.30pm-8pm

Friday at Memorial Hall in Pontargothi from 7.30pm-9pm.

To find out more email mmiller@sirgar.gov.uk or call 01554 899 320.

A Llanelli school has made nearly £600 in a day of trading in the town’s outdoor market.

Ysgol Brynsierfel pocketed the money after battling it out with Ysgol Bryn Teg and Ysgol Teilo Sant in this year’s Carmarthenshire Young Traders competition.

They were the winners with takings of £573 which was made selling handmade pictures and celebratory cards.

The two runners up also made money for their school by selling flavoured home-made Welsh cakes and cupcakes.

The annual competition involves setting up a business and turning it into a profitable enterprise. Teams of up to five, Year 6 pupils, must develop a business idea, plan, purchase material/products, brand it and run it themselves on a stall in the outside market for a day.

Each school keeps any profit made during the day.

Carmarthenshire Council’s executive board member responsible for markets, Cllr David Jenkins, said: “It was clear to see that a lot of hard work had gone into preparing for the day and the quality of the products was first class. It was a fantastic experience for the children and they certainly had an insight of what it’s like to run a business. I would like to thank the all school staff and Llanelli Town Council for making this happen.”

Press release from the Scarlets:

We can today confirm that head coach Wayne Pivac will leave the Scarlets at the end of the forthcoming season to take up the role of Wales Head Coach.

Wayne will take over from Warren Gatland, who is scheduled to step down after the 2019 Rugby World Cup when he will have served more than 12 years at the helm.

He will remain at the Scarlets for the entirety of the 2018/19 season and will only officially come under WRU employment in July 2019.

“First and foremost, on behalf of everyone at the Scarlets, I would like to extend our congratulations to Wayne on his appointment. It will be a proud moment for us all when he takes to the helm as Wales Head Coach,” said Jon Daniels, Scarlets General Manager of Rugby.

“Clearly, finding Wayne’s replacement will be a major priority in the coming months and we are grateful to Wayne and the Welsh Rugby Union for keeping us updated, in an entirely professional and transparent manner, throughout the process.

“Over the last four years Wayne has facilitated the continuation of Scarlets’ development. Being consistently competitive in both the PRO14 and in Europe, has been our aim now for three or four years and will continue to do so.

“We had a one, three and five-year strategy; winning the PRO12 in 2017 was probably a year ahead of where we had forecast to be and that is down to the hard work of the group, of the people involved, to get us to that stage earlier than planned, but that just shows the quality across every department.

“The forthcoming season will be hugely significantly for us all at the Scarlets and ensuring that we build on the momentum and successes from previous seasons will be key. We would also like to be in a position to ensure that Wayne finishes his tenure, here at Parc y Scarlets, with silverware.”

“Having 12 months to find a replacement is something of a luxury in professional sport but as a result we’re now able to follow our detailed recruitment process to ensure we find a Head Coach with ambition and aspiration to continue our rugby performance strategy.

“We are extremely proud of the established environment we have here at the Scarlets and this will not only allow us to continue to be competitive this coming season but we’ll also be in a strong and stable position in readiness to welcome the new Head Coach in twelve months time.

“I know Wayne will agree, we have a strong team here now, of coaches, players and backroom staff. There are a number of people who have contributed to our success under Wayne’s guidance and will continue to contribute and push the region forward this season and after his departure. I am confident we are strong enough to continue to thrive moving forward.”

Wayne’s appointment is the latest example of people maximising their ability at the Scarlets and is the result of a two year process undertaken by Welsh Rugby Union Chief Executive Martyn Phillips and Chairman Gareth Davies, which has involved meticulous research and extensive consultation, and today’s announcement leaves a year-long gap ahead of his start date, by design.

Welsh Rugby Union Chief Executive Martyn Phillips said; “I am extremely grateful to the Scarlets for their support of this process and their Chairman, Nigel Short, in particular who has been first class throughout.

“Both Wayne and Warren and their coaching teams, our international players, supporters and everyone at the Scarlets now have clarity and there is no underestimating the positive benefit to be gained from having the time to plan properly for the future.

“What coach, whether they are in Wales or anywhere around the rugby playing world, would not relish the opportunity to join a team of such rich history and proven professionalism as the Scarlets.

“I would like to think that given the heritage of the Scarlets, their culture, passionate supporters, their track record of success and the quality of their squad that the Head Coach position will be one of the most sought after in rugby.”

The latest podcast from Phil Evans and Robert Lloyd.

The Big Cwtsh (Episode 22) is now on Soundcloud.

Latest news from the team at Brecon Jazz Club:

Hello everyone –

Welcome to the heatwave newsletter!

Just a quick reminder that next Jazz Club is Tuesday coming (10 July) at the early time of 7.15pm for :

NEW GENERATION (Royal Welsh College) JAZZ SHOWCASE presenting rising stars from this year’s graduates of the ‘Jazz Performances’ course of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff. These are some very outstanding jazz musicians indeed and we are presenting 3 lineups, consisting of two quintets and one quartet – we’ve had quite a lot of interest in this event! Full details below.

Pre-jazz supper at the Gurkha Corner from 5.30pm on. Please book your place ASAP & option of chicken, lamb or vege curry (£10 per person) to:  info@breconjazzclub.org

JAZZ GALORE!! this Saturday (7 July), 1-3pm Jazz Band in the Town Centre & Bethel Square: Les Zauto Stompers (also at LLANDEILO JAZZ FEST, on this weekend), hosted here by Brecon Town Council. All good!

We are working with venues and partners ref Brecon Jazz Festival: if you would like to volunteer over the Festival weekend (10-12 August), please email Roger & Maire Griffiths:  griffiths891@btinternet.com

Can’t decide what to attend at the Festival? Why not buy a Sunday Stroller: 6 concerts for £55? (for full listing, including the workshops which are now live, please click on the box BJF2018 Programme)  www.breconjazz.org

Full details of Tuesday’s lineups –

Josh Heaton’s ‘Mouth of Words’ Quintet
Rachel Head alto sax
Kumar Chopra guitar
Josh Heaton tenor sax
Mateus Prado double & electric bass
Zach Breskal drums

Skeleton Leaf
A quartet led by Eddie Jones West
featuring Dave Bush (tenor sax)
Ben Manning (double bass)
Frazer McIntosh (keys)
Eddie Jones West (drums)

Norman Willmore Quintet
Norman Willmore (alto sax)
Tom Newitt (tenor sax)
Frazer McIntosh (keys)
Ben Manning (double bass)
Zach Breskal (drums)

Many of you will recall the outstanding performances (reviewed favourably by Ian Mann in www.thejazzmann.com) of young tenor sax player Tom Newitt (see band 3 above) and drummer Zach Breskal, at Brecon Jazz in the Muse last year.

Mateus Prado (band 1 above) has also performed at both the Jazz Club and our Festival (bassist for Atsuko Shimada) – so we hope you will all turn out to support these young rising stars. They are really looking forward to coming along to perform at BJC and so we’ve created a special early start of 7.15pm to encompass 3 performance sets and two breaks (still time for drinks and crisps!) and a special entry price of £8 for members and £10 for visitors and non-members!

We are very grateful indeed for the support of the ACW NIGHT OUT / NOSON ALLANteam who are providing financial support to be able to pay 3 bands for the July Brecon Jazz Club. And a big thank you to musician Tom Newitt who has worked with us to bring it all together.  We’ll see you then @ the Muse on Tues 10 July 7.15 pm to cheer on this ‘new generation’ of solid jazz talent, made in Wales.

Best wishes to all
Lynne, Roger and BJC team