Children are being urged to take part in this year’s free Summer Reading Challenge.

This year’s challenge, which launched on Saturday, July 14, is Mischief Makers, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Beano comic.

To take part, all children need to do is to head to their local library where they will be given a colourful collector’s map of Beanotown to keep a record of their reading journey.

Visit Ammanford, Carmarthen or Llanelli town libraries along with any of the 15 local community libraries and the three mobile library vans in Carmarthenshire, to be able to enter a competition for the most read books over the summer to win a family ticket to a Pantomime near you.

As children read at least six library books over the summer, they will collect stickers which will help them crack the clues and help Dennis, Gnasher and friends find the buried treasure!

The Summer Reading Challenge, a unique partnership between The Reading Agency and public libraries across the UK, last year got over three quarters of a million children borrowing, reading and talking about their favourite books.

For pre-schoolers there is a mini-challenge while young people (aged 13 to 24) can volunteer and support younger children taking part, as part of The Reading Agency’s Reading Hack programme.

Volunteering provides a quality workplace experience for young people in libraries, inspires them to think about their future career and increases their employability as they gain useful life skills and confidence. Last year over 7,500 young people across the UK volunteered.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member responsible for culture, sport and tourism, Cllr Peter Hughes-Griffiths said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is a fun way for families and children to take part, whilst also inspiring children to read over the holidays, making use of all libraries and mobile vans throughout the county.”

To take part in this free event, all your child has to do is sign up at the library where they will be given a collector poster to keep a record of their Summer Reading Challenge journey. As they read their books, each child will receive special sticker, games, wristband and much more.

For more information on the Summer Reading Challenge including how to get involved contact your local library.

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Wales Sevens star Luke Morgan will link up with Ospreys following his involvement in this month’s World Cup in San Francisco.

The 26-year-old from Bridgend is Wales’ leading try- and points – scorer of all time, and ended the 2017/18 World Rugby Sevens Series second in most tries scored (44) – with only the USA’s Carlin Isles touching down on more occasions (49) across the campaign.

Morgan, who came through the development pathway at the Ospreys and played one senior game for his home region as a teenager, follows former Wales Sevens teammate Sam Cross, who joined the Liberty Stadium based region last pre-season, with Cross’ move being made permanent in March.

Head coach Gareth Williams says the agreement with Ospreys is another example of the good relationship between the sevens programme and regional rugby, and how sevens aids player development as a part of the pathway.

“This is a great opportunity for Luke following his achievements on the World Series,” says Williams. “It’s another good example of what the programme can achieve in bringing players through during those formative years post-Academy. 

 “Luke originally joined us from the Ospreys many years ago and he has progressed to being one of the best finishers on the Series. It will be exciting to see him take this next step in his career and I have great faith in him making a huge impact in the opportunities he will be given.”

Dan Griffiths, Rugby General Manager, Ospreys Rugby, welcomed the news, saying:

“Luke progressed through the pathway at the Ospreys and we are delighted to welcome him back. As a young man he was given the opportunity to refine his game on the sevens circuit and has developed into a world-class finisher. We are looking to add speed and game breaking ability to the squad and Luke certainly has the potential to give us that X-factor in the wide channels.

“This is a great opportunity for him to come into the full-time fifteens environment again and show what he can do. As we’ve seen with Sam Cross, there is potential for talented sevens players to develop here into quality regional players and we hope that Luke takes his chance this season.

“Once again, it’s great that the Union and Region can work together, and provide opportunities for players in Wales to fulfill their potential.”

New Scarlets recruit Kieron Fonotia starts this press conference at Parc y Scarlets by talking about his international prospects with Samoa.

This is an edited version of the press conference. A fuller version will appear at the weekend.

Trimsaran Community Primary School is the latest school to be delivered through Carmarthenshire County Council’s Modernising Education Programme.

The £6.8 million new building opened its doors September 2017 and caters for children aged between 3 to 11, with 30 nursery places and a Flying Start facility.

It has state of the art facilities and first class accommodation designed for both school and community use.

The building was jointly funded between the County Council and Welsh Government through the 21^st Century Schools initiative.

Already, the new school has achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating and is a Passivhaus accredited building.

Trimsaran headteacher, Sharon Owen said: “The building has been a dream for a number of years and, with much pride, we realise that dream.

The education provided at the school has always been a strength and today, with new resources and facilities, we see our pupils thrive with renewed eagerness and enthusiasm so that they achieve their potential in a learning environment suitable for the 21^st Century.”

Initially the site posed significant design challenges due to a sloping site which slopes steeply, from north to south, over roughly two hundred metres.  The design team overcame these challenges and created unique outdoor areas including external walkways with direct access to the external MUGA.

The council’s executive board member for education, Cllr Glynog Davies said: “It’s wonderful to see for ourselves the difference that this investment has made. Our ambition is for every child in the county to have access to first class facilities and accommodation.”

A former Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council has been granted the Honorary Freedom of Carmarthenshire on his 100^th birthday.

David Tom Davies OBE, known as DT Davies, served as a councillor for his local area of Dryslwyn, near Llandeilo, from 1970 to 2003, chairing the former Dyfed County Council from 1981-82, Carmarthenshire County Council from 1995-97, and on several education committees and boards.

He is also one of three founder members of the National Botanic Garden of Wales as well as Aberglasney Gardens, where he is a life member.

Before service to his community, Mr Davies served Queen and Country in WWII as a member of the Royal Artillery, and was captured as a prisoner of war at the Battle of Crete in 1941.

He spent three years as a prisoner in Austria, then Hungary and finally at the Zemun concentration camp, near Belgrade.

However, he managed to escape five times, eventually reaching Yugoslavia and joining the partisans before being invalided out to Italy and sent back to Britain where he was awarded a Military Medal.

He wrote an account of his wartime exploits in a book entitled “All for Freedom – A True story of escape from the Nazis” which was published in 2016.

On July 11, on his 100^th birthday, the Honorary Freedom of Carmarthenshire was conferred in a special ceremony at Carmarthen’s County Hall, where Mr Davies was joined by members of his family.

Cllr Cefin Campbell, who now serves the Llanfihangel Aberbythych ward, was among those who nominated Mr Davies for the Honorary Freedom.

He spoke of Mr Davies’s selfless commitment to his community and his respectful ability as a Chairman, as well as his remarkable determination and resilience during his wartime service.

Of the nomination, he said: “It’s the biggest honour Carmarthenshire can give to one of his daughters and sons, and I can think of no-one more deserving.”

The granting of a Freedom of Carmarthenshire is a rare honour, and Mr Davies was presented with a scroll to mark the occasion by council Chairman Cllr Mansel Charles.

Mr Davies said it was an ‘amazing honour’.

“I’m very proud because it’s people such as yourselves – who represent the people of Carmarthenshire – that honour me today, and that means more to me than any honour I’ve received,” he said.

To date, the Freedom of the County of Carmarthenshire has only ever been awarded to the Royal Welsh Regiment in 2009 and to the late William David Thomas OBE for services to Local Government in 2014.

An honorary title conferred with a scroll, it does not carry special privileges to individual recipients, however the Royal Welsh Regiment have the freedom to march through the streets of Carmarthenshire on ceremonial occasions, with ‘drums beating, bands playing, colours flying and bayonets fixed’.

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It’s been a busy week of competing for young musicians from across Carmarthenshire.

The County Youth Jazz Orchestra and Côr Merched Sir Gâr performed in the national finals of the National Festival of Music for Youth competition last week.

The choir and orchestra earned themselves a spot in the finals through their previous performances.

The event took place on Wednesday in one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious venues – Symphony Hall in Birmingham.

Performing in front of a panel of adjudicators from the music industry, the Jazz Orchestra and Côr Merched Sir Gâr received a standing ovation.

The County Wind Band also performed at the national finals in Symphony Hall last Friday with over seventy pupils taking the stage to represent Wales.

Côr Merched Sir Gâr also took to the stage at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod on Friday and Saturday.

Executive board member responsible for education and children’s services, Cllr Glynog Davies, said: “What an excellent week this has been, showcasing some of the musical talent that we have here in Carmarthenshire. I would like to congratulate our young musicians on their successes. They are a real testament to the commitment and hard work provided by our council’s Music Service.”