There will be a new face in the strength and conditioning team that welcomes the squad back for pre-season training at Llandarcy next month after the appointment of Simon Church.

Church joins the Ospreys after spending five years at the Dragons and will work with the senior squad at the Region.

The UWIC Masters graduate once again links up with Alex Lawson, Head of S&C at the Ospreys, who first appointed him when in the same role at Rodney Parade.

Speaking about the appointment, Lawson commented:

“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Simon to the Ospreys, he will be a fantastic asset to the business.

“I first had the pleasure of meeting Simon during an interview for an internship position at the Dragons, when he immediately struck me as a very self assured and capable young man. Although he was only 21 years of age at the time he was a stand out applicant and quickly established himself in professional rugby as a quality young coach and an innovative thinker.

“ He has a real passion for developing athletes. He is always striving to improve his own knowledge and performance, both through his own research and also by learning from others, and is willing to experiment with his own training and programming to keep players engaged. He has a hard working approach and a creative mind that will support the players as they strive for elite performance and can really make a difference.”

Church said he is looking forward to linking up with the Ospreys in June:

“When the opportunity to join the Ospreys was presented to me it was one I couldn’t say no to. I’m really excited about working with the squad being put together for next season and helping to deliver what Allen Clarke wants from the squad performance wise.

“There’s a very strong strength and conditioning set-up in place, led by Alex Lawson, and I’m looking forward to working closely with the team over the coming months and seasons.”

Hats off to the team at Wales Wildlife Watch for their hard work in tackling a problem highlighted by this blog earlier this week.

Vandals and open-air drinkers have set fires in the woodland at Sandy Water Park (Coed Cefn Padrig) and left a pile of rubbish (empty drinks bottles, packaging, food and clothes) at a number of locations.

Veronica Haines, from Wales Wildlife Watch, explains –

“Ten of us tackled Sandy Water Park and surrounding areas this morning, but unfortunately there was so much litter in the woods we could not clear it all.

“We found four sites of fires with litter all around including a lot of glass bottles,many of which had been smashed.

“This means large areas were strewn with broken glass posing a hazard particularly to children and dogs.

“We will be back in three months, but, hopefully, other local people will be able to finish the job.

“We understand the police are regularly patrolling this area but clearly it is an ongoing problem, especially coming up to the end of the school year.

“Nobody minds kids having fun and building camps in the woods as long as they do no damage and TAKE THEIR LITTER HOME!

“Between us we picked up five large bags of recycling, six of general rubbish, two bags of bottles, a pile of smelly bedding, an umbrella and a pair of flip-flops!”

Internet link to Facebook page for Wales Wildlife Watch –

https://www.facebook.com/waleswildlifewatch/?hc_ref=ARSgSmlXgXn3hunCyrR15xBpWfoQQLKghXAXyP6SGJHsA6kPT6RMsspnKneDquFqij4&fref=nf

Link to Wales Wildlife Watch web page –

www.waleswildlifewatch.org.uk

Link to earlier blog story about the woodland damage at Sandy Water Park –

Accident waiting to happen at Sandy Water Park woods

Council officers are pulling out all the stops to uncover the source of a fly problem in parts of Llanelli.

They have been working around the clock with outside organisations to try to identify the cause in and around the Llanelli area, following calls from the public.

Currently there are no works being carried out to the town’s sewerage system, with Dŵr Cymru’s on-going Rainscape investment work only focussing on the surface water system.

Environmental health officers will continue to monitor the area.

The council’s executive board member for public protection, Cllr Philip Hughes, said: “Working closely with a number of partner organisations, our officers are doing all they can to try to locate the source of the problem. This work is on-going.

“Having visited Dŵr Cymru’s RainScape site, our officers are satisfied that the fly problem is not related to this work. Please be assured we are doing everything we can and will continue to monitor the area.”

If you have specific information that might help the council with its enquiries, please send details to publicprotection@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Welcoming the findings of a new report, Swansea Bay City Deal leaders say a number of major planned developments will soon combine to help Wales cut its carbon footprint.

Forming part of the Re-Energising Wales project being led by the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA), the new report has found that the Swansea Bay City Region is well-placed to act as a pathfinder for plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across Wales by 80% in coming decades.

Praising the City Region’s ambition and leadership, the report also says Swansea Bay – which is made up of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot – has the potential to meet all its electricity consumption needs from renewable energy sources by 2035.

Subject to the approval of a business case, a Homes as Power Stations project is among those included in the £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal, which is being funded by the UK Government, the Welsh Government, the public sector and the private sector.

Set for introduction across the City Region, the project will see technology introduced that will allow homes and buildings to generate, store and release their own energy.

Also due to be part-funded by the City Deal, subject to the approval of a business case, is the Pembroke Dock Marine project, which will include a demonstration zone for innovative wave energy devices off the coast of Pembrokeshire.

Cllr Rob Stewart, Lead Leader for the Swansea Bay City Region, said: “We very much welcome the IWA’s report and the recognition it gives to the leadership and ambition across Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot and Pembrokeshire to make Swansea Bay an example of best practice for renewable energy consumption.

“A focus on renewable energy will cut our carbon footprint, help local people save money on their fuel bills and generate thousands of new jobs as we look to develop and test green energy technology in coming years.

“Renewable energy is a key theme of the Swansea Bay City Deal, which is projected to boost the regional economy by £1.8 billion and create close to 10,000 new, high-quality jobs in the next 15 years.

“As well as the Homes as Power Stations and Pembroke Dock Martine projects, we’re also still hopeful of UK Government approval for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

“These projects would combine to further raise Swansea Bay’s profile across the world as an innovative, forward-thinking region, which could also lead to lucrative export opportunities overseas for local companies.

“We look forward to working with the IWA to explore now we can best put some of the report’s vision into practice.”

The IWA report also highlights the opportunity for Swansea Bay to become a leading region for the reduction of vehicle emissions, with a target of 80% of new cars and 30% of all cars to be electric by 2035.

Cllr Stewart said: “A number of regional councils, universities, health boards and other local employers have already taken the lead by introducing more electric vehicles in their fleets, but we want the public to follow suit in their thousands.

“That’s why discussions with electric vehicle manufacturers are ongoing, as well as a regional study that will see more electric vehicle charging points installed across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.  While encouraging the use of zero-carbon, sustainable transport, it’s also vitally important that the infrastructure is in place to support it.

“We stand ready in Swansea Bay to help inform a nationwide drive that will lead to a greener Wales than ever before.”

League table climb continues for Aberystwyth University

Aberystwyth University’s progress in university league tables continues with the publication of the 2019 edition of The Guardian University Guide.

Aberystwyth University is this year’s highest climber, up 36 places into the top 50 in the UK, and second position in Wales.

Placed 45^th out of 121 higher education institutions across the UK, Aberystwyth equals its best performance in The Guardian’s university league table since 2009.

The latest league table also puts Aberystwyth in the following rankings:

• 2^ndin the UK for student satisfaction
• 3rd in the UK for satisfaction with feedback
• 6^thin the UK for satisfaction with teaching

At individual subject level, there are top ten positions for Agriculture and Forestry (9^th), Art and Design (6^th) and Modern Languages (8^th).

Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor at Aberystwyth University said: “The GuardianUniversity Guide focuses on the factors that are most important to students when it comes to choosing the best course for them and where to study.

“That Aberystwyth scores highly in these areas is a reflection of the emphasis we place here on teaching excellence. Academic rigour, timely relevant feedback, research-led teaching and lecturers who know their students are all hallmarks of our degree courses. The overall student experience is further enriched by our unique, seaside location, our students’ union clubs and societies, and our welcoming, supportive community.”

The latest results build on Aberystwyth’s continued league table success over the past 12 months.

In August 2017 Aberystwyth was rated best in Wales and one of the best higher education institutions in the UK in the National Student Survey (NSS) with overall student satisfaction at 91%.

In September 2017, Aberystwyth University was named University of the Year for Teaching Quality by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018. The guide also saw Aberystwyth’s progress continue, climbing nine places into the top 50 universities in the UK.

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guideeditor Alastair McCall said at the time that Aberystwyth had “secured some of the most remarkable scores in the UK from students for the quality of teaching it offers”.

The Guardian university league table is based on nine measures: Satisfied with course, Satisfied with teaching, Satisfied with feedback, Student to staff ratio, Spend per student, Average entry tariff, Value added score and Career after 6 months.

New to the table this year is the addition of the student continuation metric, which provides the percentage of students who progress from the first year into the second and which gives an indication of how well universities are supporting their students.

Further information about The Guardianuniversity guide for 2019 is available online at www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2018/may/29/university-league-tables-2019.

Link:
The Guardian University Guide 2019
https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2018/may/29/university-league-tables-2019

There’s a big night coming up for Côr Meibion Llandybie as they hold their annual concert on Friday, June 8, at the Memorial Hall in Llandybie.

The choir will be joined by members of Côr Meibion Dinefwr.

The combined choirs will be conducted by Mr Alan Davies and accompanist will be Ms Catrin Morris.

Guest soloist for the evening will be Ms Angharad Davies (soprano) and she will be accompanied by Mrs Gloria Lloyd.

The evening will also feature Rhydian Tiddy playing the trombone.

Llanelli concertgoers can look forward to seeing the Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers in the spectacular Last Night of the Proms at Ffwrnes Theatre this weekend.

This year’s mad, fun, flag-waving extravaganza on Saturday (June 2) includes an amazing 200-plus massed voices.

The evening features the symphonic sounds of the British Sinfonietta Orchestra and an army of massed voices of the Hywel Choirs, the TV acclaimed Angelicus Celtis, the mighty Pontarddulais Male Choir and the Llanelli Choral Society and special guest artists – all under the baton of John Hywel Williams MBE.

Highlights of the night will include Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia, Nimrod, Welsh favourites, music from Star Wars, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List and a special tribute to World Ware One and Her Majesty’s Armed Forces and Veterans, including the Dambusters March, the Armed Man, Pack up your Troubles, Hymn to the Fallen, Jerusalem and a poignant Abide with Me.

Côr Meibion Llanelli will be remembering their former accompanist, Gethin Hughes, at their annual concert at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli (Saturday, June 30, 7pm).

Gethin was affectionately known as Llanelli’s ‘Mr Music’ prior to his death in 2011.

Following his death, a special Gethin Hughes Memorial Bursary Scholarship was established.

The first winner of the cash bursary was Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama student Megan Thomas, from Trimsaran.

The choir’s annual concert in June will feature the contest to decide the next winner of the bursary scholarship.

The competition will form the centrepiece of the concert by Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir, with the choir performing a wide-ranging repertoire dovetailing the competition.

The Gethin Hughes prize is the brainchild of Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Mr D Eifion Thomas, a close friend of the late Mr Hughes.

“Gethin was a great pal and a long-serving accompanist for Cor Meibion Llanelli,” said Mr Thomas.

“We travelled the world to concerts and festivals and Gethin was famous the world over for being a real character and a wonderful ambassador for Llanelli.

“Gethin made an outstanding contribution to music in Llanelli and in Wales. It is wonderfully fitting that we should honour his memory and celebrate his life with a musical bursary prize.

“Gethin cared very much about supporting and promoting youngsters on their musical careers. Hopefully, this award will go a long way to encouraging, supporting and developing musical talent in Carmarthenshire.”

The bursary organisers also include Cor Meibion Llanelli chorister Richard Christopher, Gethin’s second cousin.

Mr Christopher explained: “The aim is to perpetuate Gethin’s memory by making this a regular competition for young Carmarthenshire musicians. The prize is a cash bursary to the winner to help them in their first year of music college.”

Gethin died just a few days short of his 76th birthday.

He was closely linked with the famous Triniti Chapel in Llanelli and was a much-respected music teacher at Ysgol y Strade, Llanelli.

He founded the Llanelli Young Music Lovers and spent a substantial amount of his free time taking his concert party on the road to support various charitable events.

For many years, Gethin contributed a regular column in the Llanelli Star newspaper.

The ‘Solo Note’ columns later formed the basis of a book called ‘Always be natural’.

It was a title given to him by the late great entertainer Roy Castle, who told Gethin – ‘Never be sharp, Never be flat, Always be natural’.

Gethin’s stories were always liberally sprinked with stardust. The list of stars and celebrities he met and accompanied was endless. He was lucky enough to call many of them his friends.

From Sir Malcolm Sargent to Gracie Fields, from Betty Driver and Bill Roache of Coronation Street, from Jack Warner to Elsie and Doris Waters . . . Gethin had stories to tell about them all.

Gethin was also known for his sense of adventure.

From scuba-diving off The Great Barrier Reef in Australia to riding a mechanical bucking bronco at a Wild West centre in Denver, Colorado, to playing out his inimitable party pieces at post-concert Cor Meibion concerts, nothing was too much of a challenge for Gethin.

Gethin spent 65 years as an accompanist at his beloved Triniti Chapel in Llanelli.

His work as an accompanist and fund-raiser for various charities earned him an MBE – but it also earned him much more. It earned him the affection and respect of the people of Llanelli and beyond.

In other news, Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi have put together an exciting line-up for their annual concert on Saturday, July 21, at the Princess Gwenllian Centre in Kidwelly.

The evening will feature the popular North Wales act Piantel.

Piantel are pianist Annette Bryn Parry and harpist Dylan Cernyw. They are described as ‘a magical musical experience not to be missed!’

The concert will also feature the much-acclaimed Tywi Valley musical duo, the husband and wife team of Aled Edwards and Eleri Owen Edwards.

The compere for the Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi concert will be Ioan Hefin

On the same night (July 21), Burry Port Town Band are scheduled to stage their annual summer concert.

Further details about this concert 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.

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