A child’s play area, a high end spin and cycle studio and a 3G pitch are some of the planned investments for leisure centres in Carmarthen and Ammanford.

Over £2 million is being ploughed into the centres to ensure sport facilities are fit for the future.

The money, earmarked for Carmarthen and Ammanford leisure centres out of the council’s capital programme, will enhance current facilities, community provision and offer customers a better experience.

Works at the centre in Carmarthen will include a new child’s play area with a bashbag, tri deck climber, spinning door, dangly snake cluster, a ride on playshape, log ramp, racing slide, wobbly mirror, pyramid puzzle and much more. There will be a junior and toddler area, seating section and a café point. Outdoor facilities will be updated including resurfacing the athletics track and astro turf facilities and a previously unused area will also house sports courts. These new works will complement the recently refurbished state of the art gyms and Synergy.

A new 3G pitch and outdoor sports court facility – both floodlit – will be installed at Ammanford Leisure Centre.

Additional parking will also be created at both sites to meet current demand and improvements will be made to ease traffic flow.

The council’s executive board member for leisure, Cllr Peter Hughes-Griffiths said: “More people than ever are using the centres to get more active and healthy, so it is critical that we are able to provide them with modern facilities that compete with a busy private sector market. If we don’t invest we face the possibility of losing our customers which would have a long term effect on the viability of our leisure centres. We are pleased we are making this significant investment which will benefit our members and the local community and schools.”

Works will be phased in over the next two years.

Height restriction barriers are being re-introduced at Trostre Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in an attempt to stop the facility being abused by trade vehicles.

During April, 26,000 vehicles visited the site, but it is thought that around a third were businesses who are not permitted to use the facilities.

Growing misuse of the site is causing congestion and safety issues at the site, prompting complaints from members of the public.

As a result, from Tuesday, May 29, vehicles over two metres in height will not be allowed to enter the centre.

The decision has been made by Carmarthenshire County Council and Cwm Environmental Ltd, which operates the HWRC on the council’s behalf.

Cllr Hazel Evans, executive board member for environment, said: “Household Waste Recycling Centres are funded by households through council tax contributions and it is not fair for them to be affected by unnecessary congestion and safety issues at our sites because businesses are abusing them.

“We are acting on complaints and feedback in re-introducing height restrictions at the site.

“We acknowledge these changes may affect a small number of users who are genuinely disposing of household waste but have a high-sided vehicle and apologise for this temporary inconvenience whilst longer-term solutions can be found.”

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires all vehicles carrying commercial waste to be registered as a waste carrier and provide a valid waste transfer note which stipulates conditions for proper disposal of waste.

Commercial waste disposal facilities are available at Nantycaws, Carmarthen, or businesses can organise trade waste collections.

The council said it will increase patrols and enforcement of fly-tipping as a result of the re-introduction of height restrictions at the HWRC.

Anyone caught fly-tipping could be fined up to £50,000 or face imprisonment, as well as new on-the-spot fixed penalty notices of up to £350.

Information about the changes at Trostre HWRC, commercial waste facilities, bulky waste collections, and recycling, can be found on the council’s website www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales.

Carmarthenshire Council press release:

More charging points have been installed in Carmarthenshire for electric cars.

Mart Car Park in Newcastle Emlyn and St Peter’s Car park Carmarthen are two of the latest locations to benefit from electric vehicle charging points. The 7kW chargers will charge a compatible electric vehicle in 3-5 hours.

The unit at Nant y Ci Park & Ride site has also been replaced with a new rapid charge facility which will charge an electric vehicle to 80% in 30 minutes.

Carmarthenshire County Council secured funding for the plug-in chargers through the Welsh Government’s LEADER programme following an increase in electric vehicle sales

By the end of the year it is estimated that around 200,000 vehicles on UK roads will be electric.

The council’s executive board member for communities, Cllr Hazel Evans said: “These fast chargers will enhance our current provision in Carmarthenshire and offer motorists a more accessible service. We will be looking at installing more of these points across the county to meet the growing demand for electric and plug-in hybrid cars.”

The top three selling electric and plug-in hybrid cars in 2017 were the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, BMW 3 Series 330e and the Nissan Leaf, according to electric-vehicle information provider Go Ultra Low.

Other charging points in Carmarthenshire:

One rapid charger

• Pont Abraham services.

Fast chargers (7kW)

• Murray Street car park, Llanelli.
• Salem Memorial Hall
• Dinefwr Castle (National Trust)
• Roadhouse (Whitland) – customers only
• The Plash Inn (Llanfallteg) – customers only
• The Castle (Llandovery) – customers only
• Nant yr Onnen Holiday Lets (Llandovery) – customers only
• Dealerships:
  • Gravells Dealership (Kidwelly)
  • J & J Motors (Cross Hands)

Tesla specific chargers

• Parc y Scarlets
• The Brown’s (Laugharne) – customers only
• Roadhouse (Whitland) – customers only

A new theatre piece (a multi-media event about World War One and commemorating the signing of the Armistice) will get its premiere in Neath next month (June).

The Armistice Suite is written, edited, collated and produced by Gruffydd Harries, a musician, arts administrator, writer and producer of critically acclaimed documentaries for ILR and a script-writer for HTV.

Original music has been composed by BAFTA winning, EMMY nominated Welsh musician – Mark Thomas.

It will be performed live in performances by the finest professional musicians from The Chamber Orchestra of Wales.

There will be a continuous slide show of relevant images and video, synchronised to the words.

These include rare photographs and film of people, places and events alongside works by notable war artists such as Sir Frank Brangwyn.

Readings, poems, quotes and enactments from diaries, letters,documents etc. relevant to the different wartime scenarios under examination, are presented and performed by three eminent and popular Welsh television and stage personalities.

The Armistice Suite suite “stirs the emotions” as only words and music can, with moments of poignancy and sadness but also with “feel good” moments and humour. It is certainly not full of blood, gore and destruction – although elements of such can not be totally avoided.

The story of one of the most notable events of the 20th Century cannot be covered in just one evening’s presentation. Therefore, a series of chronologically important, fascinating and interesting events – many with particular relevance to the Principality – are examined and the human aspects of these are explored.

The Armistice Suite will get its first performance in Neath – at the Little Theatre on Friday, June 8.

It will also feature at the Gower Festival on July 14 – www.gowerfestival.org   

The show is also being booked into Llanelli in September and Blackwood in October. More dates are being added all the time.

About The Armistice Suite 2018:

A century ago, this country was involved in the Great War. This was a conflict on a scale hitherto unknown on this planet. A total of 32 countries were involved and although estimates vary, at least twelve million people were killed and countless more injured. The number of individuals and families adversely affected cannot be quantified. The First World War has passed out of living memory now but should never be forgotten. It seems therefore appropriate in 2018 to bring the story to the widest audience possible, using the arts. 

The Armistice Suite is a multi-media performance piece consisting of words, music and visuals, to commemorate the centenary of the end of the Great War and the signing of the Armistice, in November 1918. It is available to tour in either English or Welsh during the whole of 2018. Being “self-contained”, the Armistice Suite is suitable for all venues – theatres, halls, schools, colleges, churches, chapels etc. – from the smallest to the largest. The project has a strong Welsh bias. Stories from towns and villages throughout the Principality are recounted and the lives of the populace – including recruits and serving military are considered and re-enacted in various scenarios. The significant contribution of Welsh women certainly isn’t forgotten. The fortunes of the military units serving under the Welsh banner are used to illustrate relevant chapters and the legacy of the conflict in Wales is examined. 

The Armistice Suite has provision for information pertinent to a particular area, or to the age/structure of an audience – to be added to every performance thus making it unique and relevant. There are no graphic descriptions or images of death or violence and the performance is suitable for all age groups. Services of an experienced “signer” for special signed performances can be available.

For theatre bookings for The Armistice Suite 

Contact Ian Parsons on 07875461823 or 01639 770973 

You can follow The Armistice Suite project on Twitter – @armistice_suite

YouTube trailer –

Tadhg Beirne is enjoying something of a magical week and that’s still plenty more to come!

On Friday night the Dublin born loose forward featured in Scarlets’ emphatic Guinness PRO14 semi final victory over Glasgow Warriors to make their way to a second consecutive final, Saturday night he was named Fans’ Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season as well as receiving the award for Try of the Season at the region’s end of season celebrations.

Monday saw his try against Bath in round 5 of the European Rugby Champions Cup campaign shortlisted for try of the season by EPCR.

Wednesday saw his long-awaited call-up to the Ireland squad; he will tour with Joe Schmidt’s 32-man squad to Australia this summer.

The week, and his tenure at Scarlets, will draw to a climatic finish on Saturday evening as he lines up against his former side Leinster in the Guinness PRO14 final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Reflecting on Beirne’s contribution to the Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac said; “He’s been fantastic. For a player that was sitting there languishing, looking like he didn’t have a contract, and he was the last position for us to do. We didn’t have a lot of money and had a good look around to see what was available. We did a bit of research and we took Tadhg on board. He’s repaid us tenfold, he’s been superb!

“He’s played second row, 6, 8, he’d even play on the wing if you wanted him to. He’s a great team man. He’s great off the field and works very hard at his game. He’s contributed really well.

“He’s been superb, I can’t say enough about him. He’s done very well.”

Leinster v Scarlets, Guinness PRO14 final, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, KO 18:00. Live on Sky Sports and S4C

Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. Website – www.philevans.co.uk

………………………….

On Saturday mornings, when I wander around the millionaire’s playground of Ammanford, I visit the same places in theexactsame order every week, otherwise I feel unsettled.

Don’t laugh. We allhave our funny little ways.

You’ve just remembered what yours are, haven’t you?

First thing on Saturdays, I fill up at the petrol station – they have a wide selection of hot snacks and pastries – before shopping at the supermarket.

Then I stop at the newsagents for my newspaper, before buying cod and chips at the chippy.

Obviously, if I did these things in the wrongorder, I could end up eating fish and chips out of my newspaper while pushing a supermarket trolley.

But on May 19th, I feltreallyunsettled.

I was the only customerat the petrol station. On a Saturday!

The supermarket had so few shoppers, the unoccupied check-out girls were gossiping and yawning. That gives you some idea how exciting their gossip was.

I also felt unsettled at the usually busy chippy, because there was only one other customer and he wore a Union Jack top hat, Union Jack suit, Union Jack bow-tie and Union Jack boots.

Okay, he might have been in some weird Spice Girls ’n’ Slademash-up tribute band, but I decided not to ask and hurried home with my cod and chips.

I felt I was missing out on something important that was keeping people at home, which I found very frustrating.

But not as frustrating as the traffic on the M4 later in the day as I drove to a gig just outside Windsor.

It took me more than four hours to get there.

I don’t usually like performing at wedding do’s – but the happy couple and their families gave me a right royal reception.

As for their house? Honestly, it was like a palace . . .

——————

Isn’t this time of year uplifting?

It’s much easier to wake up in the morning when the sun is streaming through the window and the birds are singing.

Having said that, it’s not easy getting a good night’s sleep in a strange bed.

This week’s column comes to you from a hotel room a long way from home. Life on the road is far from glamorous.

Last night, the maid in my hotel room just turned my bed down. She’s not the first woman to do that either.

Traveling and being away from home has become a way of life, but modern technology has helped in such a way that staying in touch with family and friends is easier than ever.

I regularly Skype call my Cocker Spaniel when I’m away.

How times have changed over the past 20 years . . .

Think about it, we didn’t have all this technology back then. It was so much harder to stay in touch. Or was this a good thing? Did we talk more face to face?

Technology may be moving on, but things are far from perfect.

The traffic in our towns and cities remain a battleground and seem to be getting worse.

Swansea, Llanelli and even Ammanford have turned into a war zone recently and there are many frustrated drivers, including myself, close to breaking point.

I remember my grandad always used to say, “You’ve got to pick your battles.”

Which is why he was dishonourably discharged from the Army.

——————-

You can follow Phil Evans on Twitter @philevanswales and www.philevans.co.uk

Please again include www.philevans.co.uk