The Ospreys have made Argentine back rower, Guido Volpi, their latest recruit after he impressed on trial with the Region last month.

The 22-year old, who can play at number eight and blindside flanker, will join up with the squad for pre-season training ahead of the new campaign.

Part of his country’s high performance programme as a youngster, Volpi played for CUQ Rugby in Buenos Aires before heading to France last summer to sign for Narbonne, captaining the club in the ‘Espoirs’ competition for U23 teams.

He spent a week at Llandarcy Academy of Sport earlier this year, training with the senior team. At 1.93m tall and 110kg, he impressed with his athleticism and intelligence, his potential earning him a full contract at the Ospreys.

Dan Griffiths, Rugby General Manager at the Ospreys, said: 

“Guido is a fantastic athlete, with size, pace and the ability to offload. He really impressed during his time with us, not only with his physical capabilities, but also his ability to adapt and learn quickly.

“Our age grade pathway and academy are bringing through some fantastic talent, but Guido will bring something different. We are excited to see how he will progress surrounded by quality players and coaching.

”There is a real excitement and desire within these young men to be a part of the Ospreys. We are looking forward to seeing how the blend of quality internationals and hungry young talent can create a vibrant, competitive environment.”

Volpi is one of seven new faces already confirmed for next season, following on from Wales backs George North, Scott Williams and Aled Davies, Namibian international wing Lesley Klim and props Tom Botha and Gheorghe Gajion, in addition to the 11 youngsters stepping up from the development programme to join the ‘B’ group next month.

“I am very happy to sign for the Ospreys” said Volpi.

“They are a big club and are always ambitious about their goals. It will be my first experience at that level, so I’m really looking forward to it and I hope to benefit from this and grow as a player.”

The recently launched Rural Volunteering Programme, led by Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) and funded by RDP LEADER will be establishing specialist volunteering “hubs” in eight venues across the county over the coming months.

The Programme aims to tackle a range of issues around volunteering in rural areas, including providing volunteering opportunities, providing training for volunteers and promoting the health and wellbeing, social and community values of volunteering.

The project’s hubs will offer opportunities as a drop in centre for anyone wanting an informal chat about volunteering, whether they are looking for volunteers for an event or project they are running or whether they are interested in volunteering opportunities.

Information on free training will also be on offer.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member for communities and rural affairs, Cllr Cefin Campbell, said: “The benefits of volunteering are numerous. It can broaden horizons and skill sets for those volunteering and improving employability. Volunteers can also be a great asset to organisations and companies who recruit them.

“This is a fantastic project to help our rural areas and we are delighted to be supporting it.

“I would urge anyone with an interest in volunteering or who can provide opportunities for volunteers, to drop in to their nearest hub”.

The hubs are located across rural Carmarthenshire, in Glanaman, The Gwendraeth, St. Clears, Whitland, Drefach Felindre, Llanybydder, Llandeilo and Llanelli.

To find out more, contact CAVS on (01267) 245555/ e-mail admin@cavs.org.uk or visit their website www.cavs.org.uk/rural-volunteering/the-hubs/

This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP), which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

The hottest tickets in Carmarthenshire this weekend are for a major concert to be staged at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli on Saturday, May 19, 2018 (7pm).

An array of stars will perform a very special evening of song in celebration of Llanelli Rotary Club marking its landmark Centenary Year.

Shan Cothi, one of the country’s most popular sopranos, will be sharing the stage with two great Welsh international choral ambassadors – Côr Meibion Llanelli, under the baton of conductor D Eifion Thomas, and the Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers, under the baton of conductor John Hywel Williams.

Both musical directors are holders of the distinguished Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest honour from the Rotary movement, awarded for their years of community service.

Joining Shan Cothi and the choirs will be the delightful sounds of Cor Ysgol Goffa, an ensemble from Ysgol Y Strade under the baton of Catrin Hughes, and the Lewis-Meredith sisters – Calley, Sarah and Steffi.

The event has two aims –

• To help commemorate the centenary of Llanelli Rotary Club
• To raise funds for the Green Light Postrate Cancer Machine at Prince Philip Hospital.

The concert is another event co-produced by Carmarthenshire Theatres and Loud Applause.

Cerith Owens, director of Loud Applause Productions, said: “We are honoured to have Shan Cothi taking part and two great choirs led by Mr D Eifion Thomas and John Hywel Williams.”

Llanelli Rotary Club president John (JC) Williams said: “We’ve had a great centenary year, with many special events to mark the occasion. This concert promises to be the grand finale for our 100 years, with a wonderful and very talented line-up for what should be a great charity fundraising concert for Llanelli.”

“We will also be featuring the winners of the Llanelli Rotary Club Young Musician of the Year competition – Ysgol y Strade pupils Lauren Fisher and Ffion Bates.”

Lauren is just 15 and is a member of the Loud Applause Rising Stars (LARS) – a group of very talented young singers and musicians from across South Wales.

Under LARS, Lauren has performed at many prestigious events such as soirees at Stradey Castle and Llanelly House, at the City and County of Swansea’s Armed Forces Day and Remembrance Commemoration events, at musical evenings at Machynys Golf Club and at the Loud Applaus Night with the Stars Gala Concert in Ffwrnes Theatre.

Lauren’s love of music has led her also to compete in many competitions gaining invaluable experience: The Voice of South Wales Seniors, The Welsh Factor where she was runner up in 2016 and Kids Got Talent 2016 where she gained a second place.

She won a scholarship at 10 years old with the Hywel Girls and Hywel Boy Singers and performed at many concerts with them. Recently Lauren has gained a Grade 8 with distinction in Musical Theatre Singing exam.

Pianist Ffion Bates was the winner of the Instrumental Category of the Rotary Club of Llanelli 2018 Young Musicians Competition.

Ffion Bates is 15 and started having piano lessons with her teacher Alex Esney-Davies at the age of eight, and has sat grades 1- 8 ABRSM exams and is now working towards her diploma.

She has performed in many concerts, including two for her local hospice and one for Marie Curie. Ffion was invited to play at a pre-show reception for a concert with the Britain’s Got Talent winners, Collabro. She was also a finalist in the District Rotary Competition. Ffion is also a grade 4 violinist and a keen netball player. She represented her netball club in national finals and is a part of the Carmarthenshire

LA Hub.

Looking further ahead, Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi have their annual concert on Saturday, July 21 at the Princess Gwenllian Centre in Kidwelly.

On the same night, Burry Port Town Band are scheduled to stage their annual summer concert.

Further details about both concerts and guest stars will follow in future editions of this column.

Looking to the autumn, Côr Meibion Caerfyrddin Carmarthen Male Choir’s 60th anniversary concert will be held at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, on Saturday, October 13.

The choir will be joined on stage by four other choirs – Mynydd Mawr, Burry Port, Dyffryn Tywi and Dyffryn Aman.

This will create a combined choir of around 150 voices under the baton of Wyn Maskell, musical director of Côr Meibion Caerfyrddin.

Also taking part will be well known soloists: Jessica Robinson, soprano, and Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, tenor.

The MC for the evening will be television and radio personality Garry Owen.

Soprano Jessica Robinson is from Pembrokeshire and graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with a first class Honours Degree.

As a student at the RWCMD, Jessica studied with Beatrice Unsworth and Jeffrey Howard, winning the Aneurin Davies memorial award, The Mansel Thomas prize, The Margaret Tann Award and the Elias Soprano award.

Throughout her studies, Jessica has been fortunate to participate in master classes with artists such as Michael Pollock, Simon Lepper, Adrian Thompson, Simon Keenleyside, Donald Maxwell and John Fisher. Jessica was also chosen to sing as part of an octet for HRH the Prince of Wales.

Her singing life started at a young age as a competitor in local eisteddfodau in her home county of Pembrokeshire.

She went on to gain success nationally in the Urdd and the National Eisteddfodau.

Jessica has represented Pembrokeshire in the Young Farmers Eisteddfod winning the under 26 solo in 2008 and again in 2012. She was awarded Vocalist of the Year in the Pembrokeshire Chevron Music Awards and Musical Student of the Year in her secondary school, Ysgol y Preseli, Crymych.

as an oratorio and concert soloist, Jessica has performed in venues such as the Wales Millennium Stadium, The National Museum of Wales, Dorking Halls and The Dora Stoutzker Hall. She regularly appears in concerts all over the UK as guest artist with many of Wales’ most renowned Male Voice Choirs such as Blaenavon, Bridgend, South Wales and the London Welsh Male Voice choir. A personal highlight for Jessica was being asked to perform to the Welsh rugby team at the Welsh Assembly during the champagne reception celebrating their success in the Six Nations Championship and also alongside Paul Potts in a Charity concert for the Philippines disaster.

Recent oratorio performances include Handel’s Messiah ( Symffonia Tywi and The Mega Messiah), Vivaldi’s Gloria, Rutter’s Mass of the Children, Karl Jenkins’ Peace Makers and Joseph Parry’s Emmanuel (Côr Bro Ogwr). Jessica performed her first operatic role as the Spirit in ‘Dido and Aeneas’ by Purcell with ‘Opera’r Ddraig’, scene credits include Despina (Cosi fan Tutti), Violetta (La Traviata) and the Countess (Le nozze di Figaro).

Jessica is an artist on the prestigious Live Music Now scheme and also performs regularly as an artist with Music in Hospitals.

Jessica performed in China in March as part of a Welsh Government Scheme; she toured around the country introducing Welsh music. Then toured with the Harry Ensemble as their soprano soloist around New York in May.

Welsh tenor Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, who hails from Clunderwen, Pembrokeshire, is a popular concert soloist throughout Wales and further afield.

One of the first recipients of a Study Award from the Bryn Terfel Foundation, he was named the Voice Of Wales by Decca Records in 2012 in an S4C TV series.

Trystan studied initially at University of Wales Trinity Saint David for a Theatre, Music and Media degree. He subsequently completed an MA degree in Vocal Studies at the Royal Academy of Music and a further postgraduate degree in Opera Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He has recently completed his studies as a Trainee at the National Opera Studio in London.

Prizes and awards include: Ian Stoutzker Prize 2014; Richard Van Allan Award 2014; Bruce Millar Gulliver Singing Prize 2014; RWCMD HRH Prince of Wales Scholarship 2013; Dunraven Welsh Young Singer of the Year 2013; MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year Prize 2012; Sybil Tutton Award 2012; London Welsh Young Singer of the Year Prize 2011; W. Towyn Roberts Scholarship 2011; Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize 2009.

Concert highlights include appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, Hay-on-Wye Festival with Bryn Terfel, the Brynfest at the Southbank Centre, a concert performance of Tristan und Isolde with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and recitals at St Martin-in-the- Fields and the Cardiff Music Festival.

He took the role of Carlos in a recording of Le Duc d’Albe with the Hallé Orchestra for Opera Rara and during summer 2015 received a scholarship to attend the Mozart Residency at Festival d’Aix-en- Provence.

Trystan made his first professional operatic début in the role of Ferrando in Cosi Fan Tutte on tour with Scottish Opera.

Finally, here’s another date for your diary for later in the year. The Annual Royal British Legion Charity Gala Concert will be held at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, on October 27 (7pm).

This year, 2018, marks a significant year for our Armed Forces. It is the centenary of the end of The Great War (First World War) and also commemorates 100 years of the Royal Air Force.

The prestigious annual Royal British Legion Concert has become one of the landmark events in the calendar of South West Wales, providing a platform for the Royal British Legion to pay tribute to the fallen of current and past conflicts.

It also helps the British Legion launch the Poppy Appeal in South West Wales.

The concert features leading soprano and TV and radio personality Shân Cothi, one of Wales’s premier choirs in the form of Dunvant Male Choir, the highly popular Carmarthen-based mixed youth choir Côr Seingar, Swansea-based Dancerama performing arts group youth choir, the stirring sounds of the City of Swansea Pipe Band and the unforgettable Corps of Drums of the 215 City of Swansea Squadron.

The compére will be Brian Sullivan and the guest accompanist Jeffrey Howard.

The evening ends with the poignant Tribute to the Fallen and a Service of Remembrance.

The Royal British Legion is being supported with this event by Loud Applause Productions, the production company run by Llanelli’s Cerith Owens.

Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www.rlloydpr.co.uk

If you have any news about the choral scene in Llanelli, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@btinternet.com

BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today news and current affairs programme will be broadcasting live from Aberystwyth University on Thursday morning, May 17.

Presenter Justin Webb will co-present the programme from Aberystwyth Arts Centre on Penglais campus in front of a live audience of 150 staff, students and local people.

Entry to the event is free and all tickets have been taken but the programme can be heard live on BBC Radio Four between 6am-9am on Thursday 17 May or later on BBC iPlayer Radio.

A range of items with University staff and student contributors are expected to feature in the programme, including:

• Dr Gwion Evans from the Department of Mathematics will present the daily puzzle feature at around 6:45am.
• Microbiologist Dr Arwyn Edwards from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) will start a live DNA sequencing test around 6.50am using samples of earth from Justin Webb’s garden and Plas Penglais. The findings will be broadcast live on air shortly before 9am.
• The Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University, Professor Elizabeth Treasure, is due to be interviewed between 7am – 8am.
• Dr Fiona Corke from the National Plant Phenomics Centre at IBERS will be discussing the work done at the Phenomics glasshouse in Gogerddan, with a particular focus on drought resistance and plants that thrive in low nutrient environments.
• Professor Richard Marggraf Turley from the Department of English & Creative Writing will be interviewed around 8:45 on Shakespeare’s King Learand the psychotoxic wheat mimicker ‘darnel’ – Latin name ‘Lolium temulentum L’. Resembling wheat, if it wasn’t pulled out and got baked into bread – so called ‘hot bread’ – it made people hallucinate.

The Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams AM, will also be in Aberystwyth for an interview with Justin Webb.

The programme is also keen to speak to Aberystwyth students and Students’ Union officers.

For more information about the Today programme, please see the BBC Radio 4 website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj9z.

Ends

Photo: Today will be broadcast from Aberystwyth Arts Centre on Thursday 17 May.

Links:

BBC Radio 4 Today

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj9z

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Ducks in the River Lliedi on the high tide.

The author and scholar, Professor Meic Stephens, has been honoured as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

At a special ceremony in Cardiff, he was presented as Fellow by the University’s Pro Chancellor Gwerfyl Pierce Jones.

Originally from Trefforest near Pontypridd, Meic Stephens studied French at Aberystwyth University, graduating in 1961 before going on to work as a French teacher and then as a journalist.

He founded Poetry Walesin 1965 and edited the magazine for a period of eight years.

In 1967 he was appointed Literature Director for the Arts Council of Wales, a post he held until 1990.

A prolific author, poet and editor, his masterpieces include The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales (1986) and Library of Wales: Poetry 1900-2000, a hefty tome that features the history and work of a hundred poets from Wales.

Early on in his career he worked as a journalist on the Western Mail, a connection he has retained over the years as a contributor of many literature features published by the paper. He is also a regular contributor of obituaries for prominent Welsh people in the Guardianand Independent.

In 2000, he was appointed Professor of Welsh Writing in English at the University of Glamorgan. He is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and until recently was a Trustee of the Rhys Davies Trust.

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

Presentation of Meic Stephens:
Meic Stephens was born in Treforest, near Pontypridd in Glamorgan in 1938, the son of an industrial worker. He was educated at Aberystwyth University (known then as the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth) where he graduated in French in 1961. He also studied at Rennes University in Brittany.

During his time at Aberystwyth, he was drawn to literature and journalism. He became editor of Y Ddraigand Courier-the College’s magazine and newspaper – and began writing poetry. He then went on to train as a teacher at the University College of North Wales in Bangor.

Meic’s first job was as a French teacher in Ebbw Vale in Monmouthshire. Whilst living in Merthyr Tydfil, he launched Poetry Wales –a pioneering publication at the time and one which is still issued today and regarded as one of Wales’ leading literary journals.

It was around this time he joined the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) and during the 1966 General Election, he stood as a candidate for Plaid Cymru in Merthyr. The young rebel was at Trefechan Bridge in 1963 for the first Cymdeithas protest. Rumour has it that Meic was responsible for painting the famous slogan ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ on a wall near Llanrhystud but the less said about that, the better…

Meic was raised in an English-speaking home but following his marriage to Ruth Wynn Meredith from Aberystwyth, he set about mastering Welsh (his third language) and making it the language of his home and his heart. Ruth and Meic have four children and eleven grandchildren, who all speak Welsh as their first language.

Despite the importance of the Welsh language to him, Meic has also worked tirelessly for the English language, in particular Welsh writing in English, with a dedication to the cause described as somewhat Stakhanovite. He has published extensively, around 160 books in total, including the Writers of Walesseries (together with Dr R.Brinley Jones, former President of the National Library of Wales).

The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales/Cydymaith i Lenyddiaeth Cymruwhich he compiled and edited is regarded as his masterpiece, and a vital resource for generations of students and their teachers. More recently, and together with the late Gwyn Griffiths, he compiled The Old Red Tonguefor non-Welsh-speaking readers keen to know more about the wonders of Welsh literature through the ages. Aimed at a global audience, these publications reflect his international outlook.

During his career as literature director of the Arts Council of Wales between 1967 and 1990, his aim once more was to promote the native literature of Wales in both languages ​​by disseminating information about the culture of our country to Wales and the wider world.

Meic developed a host of initiatives in the publishing world in Wales, including writers’ awards and scholarships, grants for magazines and publishers, and funding for organisations such as the Welsh Books Council. Under his leadership, the Arts Council grew to be one of Wales’ leading public bodies.

In 1993, he took up a wonderful opportunity to view his country from afar as a visiting academic at Brigham Young University in Prvovo, near Salt Lake City, after being invited to take up the role of English professor there. His journal, A Semester in Zion,features an entertaining but sometimes critical report of his life among the Mormons. He soon returned to Wales and was appointed lecturer at the University of Glamorgan. Shortly after, he was awarded a personal chair at the University which was based a mere hundred yards from his childhood home in Treforest.

Despite a busy and varied career,Meic still found time to write and publish his autobiography, Cofnodion / My Shoulder to the Wheel, as well as some of his own poetry in Wilia-poetry written in the Wenhwyseg, the Welsh language dialect of Glamorgan and Gwent. He also continued to hone his skills as a journalist, writing obituaries of prominent Welsh figures for the London papers.

Professor Meic Stephens’ contribution to our national culture has been recognised by the National Eisteddfod, and his scholarship by the University of Wales and the Learned Society of Wales. Nevertheless, this honour from his old college is just as significant and one which is gratefully received by him.

Photo: Professor Meic Stephens, Honourary Fellow of Aberystwyth University with Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor (Left) and Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, Pro Chancellor.

About Aberystwyth University www.aber.ac.uk
Established in 1872, Aberystwyth is a leading teaching and research university. It was named University of the Year for Teaching Quality in The Times | Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018. In the 2017 National Student Survey, Aberystwyth was ranked the best in Wales and one of the top five mainstream universities in the UK for overall student satisfaction. The latest Research Excellence Framework in 2014 reported that 95% of the research activity submitted by Aberystwyth was of an internationally recognised standard or higher. The University is a community of around 10,000 students and 2,000 staff committed to delivering teaching that inspires, research with excellence that makes an impact, engaging the world, working in partnership and investing in our future. Registered charity No 1145141.