Shoppers are being urged to buy local and support Carmarthenshire’s wealth of small, independent retailers this weekend.

December 1 is Small Business Saturday, a nationwide campaign to support and promote the UK’s 5.7 million small businesses.

Carmarthenshire has a thriving small business community with some of the best food and drink producers in Wales and a variety of traders selling quality products and unique gifts in towns and villages up and down the county.

In November, the Small Business Saturday bus tour rolled into Carmarthen – one of just 30 locations chosen across the UK – as part of the official countdown to December 1.

Council Leader Emlyn Dole, who is responsible for economic development, is backing the campaign and he is hoping people will get behind the message.

He said: “The council is committed to supporting new and existing businesses in Carmarthenshire with the aim of helping to create new jobs and improving the local economy.

“Small Business Saturday is a great way of making people think about where they buy their goods from and hopefully encourage them to buy from local, independent traders.

“We are very fortunate to have a large range of small businesses here in Carmarthenshire and it is important that we support them as they are the backbone of our local economy. Hopefully once people see the range and quality of products available, they will continue to buy from these businesses throughout the year.”

• The council has just launched a pilot initiative to support traders during quieter times with periods of free parking in council-run short stay car parks, for more information visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales and click on Travel, Roads & Parking. This is in addition to the five free parking days the council offers town centres every year. You can also park in Llanelli’s multi-storey car for just £1 all day every Saturday until January 12, which is in partnership with Ymlaen Llanelli.

Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. This column appears in the South Wales Evening Post, Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star. Website – www.philevans.co.uk

…………………………

THE TOLERANT TOLERATE THE INTOLERANCE OF THE INTOLERANT!

I’m outraged. 

I’m bursting to bring the world’s attention to an important issue that reallyannoys me.

I’ll be contacting all the TV and radio stations, demanding I’m allowed – without being confronted by any counter argument – to air my valid grievance.

I intend to do this . . . as soon as I find something thatreallyannoys me.

Well, everyone else is doing it, so why not me?

Regularly, watching breakfast TV, the milk on my cornflakes quickly becomes soured by the sight of some deadbeat I’ve never heard of, speaking on behalf of their half-baked organisation or ‘Think Tank’ (I’ve only just learned to ‘Think Bike!, let alone Think Tank!)that disapproves of something that 99% of us have never considered to be a problem.

They loudly point out that we 99% are terrible people because something that gets theirgoat doesn’t get ours. 

Mine, incidentally, is happily roaming free in a field just outside Ammanford.

Although their pontificating should make my blood boil, my usual reaction is to wonder where their funding comes from, shrug my shoulders and put some fresh milk on my cornflakes.

Sainsbury’s customer magazine recently included a Persian recipe to introduce flavours to their customers that they may not have enjoyed before. 

The ingredients also included some Indian items.

Inclusivity anddiversity in one meal, you might think.

Not so. One angry British Iranian wrote to the boss of Sainsbury’s, demanding an apology because treating Iranian and Indian ingredients as virtually indistinguishable was ‘Casual, lazy racism and abhorrent’.

The dictionary definition of ‘abhorrent’is…

‘Inspiring disgust andloathing’

While there are many appalling things going on in this world that deserve to be described as abhorrent, I honestly don’t think a recipe containing a few incorrect ingredients deserves that description.

I’m just a comedian, but I think the world would be a much calmer place if, instead of appearing so eager to take offence, more people just shrugged their shoulders and poured fresh milk on their cornflakes.

…………………. 

Cold snap:

I don’t know about you, but over the past couple of days I’ve had some trouble warming up.

At this rate I will be digging out the thermal underwear garments which have been hidden away up until now following last winter’s holiday. 

On Saturday evening, I couldn’t help but notice that the majority of the punters frequenting Wind Street in Swansea were wearing next to nothing.

Yes – bare legs and flimsy tops and certainly no fur coats.

And the women were just as bad!

Don’t get me wrong, extremely fashion conscious, but zero practicality. 

It’s now dawned on me that I’m at an age where comfort and practicality takes precedent over fashion.

Boring to some, I know, but I’d rather be warm and happy than cold and miserable. 

Please don’t say that I’m alone on this? 

—————-

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

It’s time for one of the highlights of the West Wales concert calendar – Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir’s annual festive special.

‘Christmas With The Choir’ will be held at 7pm on Saturday, December 1, at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

The choir’s special guests will be Burry Port Town Band and the St John Lloyd School Choir.

“It promises to be a very special evening,’ said Côr Meibion Llanelli chairman Tony Crossman.

“It’s been another busy year for the choir and the Christmas concert is regarded as our grand finale for 2018.

“The choristers are in fine voice and we are looking forward to being joined on stage by our guests.”

Côr Meibion Llanelli probably need no introduction for followers of the concert scene in West Wales.

It would take a fairly hefty book to summarise the achievements of the choir over a history spanning 54 years.

But there are some keynote events . . . 

Côr Meibion Llanelli was formed in the village of Bynea under the baton of the late Denver Phillips BA. in 1964.

The choir’s longest-serving music director is the present holder of the baton, D Eifion Thomas, who has helped the choir grow in stature and strength to become one of the leading male choirs in Britain.

They have been successful at all the major choral competitions that Wales has to offer. The honours list includes five National Eisteddfod first prizes – at Lampeter in 1984, Fishguard in 1986, Llandeilo in 1996, Bridgend in 1998 and Llanelli in 2000.

The roll-call of wins also records seven firsts at the Miners Eisteddfod at Porthcawl, six firsts at Cardigan and three Pontrhydfendigaid Eisteddfodau. The choir was successful in winning the Corwen Choral Competition at its first attempt in 1987.

The Llanelli Male Choir has graced many leading auditoriums and concert halls in the land – London’s Royal Albert Hall and Festival Hall, Birmingham’s Town and Symphony Halls, Oxford Town Hall, Plymouth’s Guild Hall, The MacRoberts Centre at Stirling, as well as Cardiff’s St David’s Hall and Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall.

Cathedrals have also featured high on the choir’s touring list – Coventry, Bury St Edmunds, Wells, Brecon, Gloucester, St David’s and Llandaff cathedrals have been concert venues, as well as Westminster Abbey.

The choir has travelled extensively throughout the world – Germany, Canada, USA. France, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. The choristers have raised thousands of pounds for charities such as Cancer and Leukaemia Research, The Red Cross, Heart Foundation and Tenovus as well as local charities and school groups. The choir’s future is secure and their motto of “Ymlaen Llanelli” will surely hold the choristers in good stead for another 50 years! The choir rehearses twice weekly on Monday and Thursday evenings at Furnace Community Hall, 7pm start. Visitors and new members are welcome.

This year, the choir’s musical director, D Eifion Thomas, has celebrated 43 years as Music Director of Côr Meibion Llanelli, having initially served as Accompanist to the Choir from 1965 until 1974 under the direction of founder-conductor Denver Phillips.

Mr Thomas has had the honour also of conducting the North American Welsh Societies National Gymanfa Ganu on five occasions – Vancouver (1980), Victoria, Canada (1990), Seattle (1994), and San Jose (2001).

His expertise in the field of choral performance has been recognised by the National Eisteddfod of Wales by inviting him to be one of three music adjudicators at the 2003 Eisteddfod in Meifod, and the 2011 Eisteddfod in Wrexham.

As a result of his work in the sphere of music in the community, Mr Thomas has been awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International and been inducted into the highest level of Wales’s Bardic Circle in 2007.

In 1998, Mr Thomas was the guest conductor at the London Welsh Festival of 1000 Male Voices, and was guest soloist at the Festival in 1994, 1996, 2000, and 2002.

In 2000, Mr Thomas was the conductor of the National Eisteddfod Choir when that Festival was held in Llanelli, and the Eisteddfod Choir’s singing under his direction at the Gymanfa Ganu of the anthem “Dyn A Aned O Wraig” still remains as one of the most memorable occasions in the Eisteddfod’s history.

Mr Thomas is a fine tenor soloist in his own right, and has appeared as soloist in performances of Handel’s “Messiah”, Haydn’s “Creation”, and “Mass in Time of War”, Stainer’s “Crucifiction”, Maunder’s “Olivet to Calvary”, Coleridge-Taylor’s “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast”, and Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” and “Lobegesang”.

The choir will be accompanied on stage by pianist Aled Maddock.

Mr Maddock attended Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera before graduating in Music at Bangor University. He is a former pupil of Madame Eileen Gethin-Jones and the Czech pianist Jana Frenklova.

After graduating in 1990, Mr Maddock was appointed as Musical Director of Craig y Nos Castle where he was responsible for arranging numerous musical events held at the famous Patti Theatre. During this time, he also began his association as accompanist with Neath and District Ladies Choir, Côr Meibion Onllwyn who performed with Côr Meibion Llanelli at the Brit Awards at Alexandra Palace and Bryncoch Male Voice Choir.

He was appointed Musical Director of Tonna Male Voice Choir in 1998 a post he held until 2002 forming his own mixed choir “Côr Al” in the Swansea Valley.

He has conducted the popular S4C religious programme “Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol” on several occasions from Ystradgynlais, Resolven, Ystalyfera and the Christmas service broadcast from St David’s Church Neath in 2015.

After obtaining his PGCE in 1994, Mr Maddock was appointed to his current post as Head of Music at his former school Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera. He is particularly proud of the musical achievements of many past pupils, some of which grace our TV screens and concert halls throughout the world. He has toured extensively with the performing arts faculty visiting Canada, South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore and has been Musical Director for two Urdd National Youth Productions, the most memorable being the revival of the Rock Opera “Jiwdas” which was performed in the open air in the ruins of the former Gnoll estate in Neath.

Tickets for Saturday’s Côr Meibion Llanelli concert are available from the Ffwrnes Theatre box office or from the Theatrau Sir Gar website.

In other concert news, here are a few of the events coming up in the next few weeks – 

• Ammanford and District Choral Society, conductor Mrs Indeg Thomas, are celebrating Christmas at Christian Temple Chapel Hall in Ammanford on Sunday, December 9, at 7pm. Soloist Huw-Ynyr Evans, presenter Mr Edwin Williams and accompanists Mrs Gloria Lloyd and Miss Catrin Edwards. Admission £5.
• Llandybie Male Voice Choir and Dinefwr Choir are presenting an evening of Carols and Readings on Friday, December 14 (7pm) at Llandybie Parish Church. Entry is Free, but a collection will be made at the end. By the way, Llandybie Male Voice Choir are in need of a Musical Director. Anyone who can help is asked to email Howard Beynon – howsonk@btinternet.com
• On Saturday December 15 Cor Merched Tybie will be holding their Christmas concert at Llandybie Rugby Club from 7pm.
• The Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers and Angelicus Celtis are staging ‘The Magic of Christmas’ at 7pm on Saturday, December 8, at St Catherine’s Church, Gorseinon. And the following week (Saturday, December 15) they will be staging ‘Christmas Fantasia’ at Llanelli’s Ffwrnes Theatre (curtain up at 7pm).
• Llandyfaelog-based Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi are looking forward to their Christmas events. They include – Tuesday 11th December, Glanmorfa Care Home, Kidwelly, 6.30pm. Thursday 13 December, Towy Castle, 6.30pm. Tuesday 18th December, Red Lion, Llandyfaelog, 7pm. Thursday 20th December, Gwernllwyn Care Home, 6.30pm.
• There’s a special concert coming up in December to raise funds for Burry Port Lifeboat Station. ‘Christmas by Candlelight will feature Elin Manahan Thomas, Gary Griffiths and Osian Wyn Bowen. It is being held at St Mary’s Church, Burry Port, on Saturday, December 22 (7pm). Tickets for the Burry Port concert are £15 and are available from Cadno Travel or from the following phone numbers – 07795415411 and 07900893150.
• Llanelli District Music and Drama Club have a special evening at the Lliedi Suite, Selwyn Samuel Centre on Friday, November 30 (7.30pm). They will be presenting A Fine Romance, with Tony Jacobs and Catherine Sykes and Jim Barry at the piano. The evening will feature music and songs by George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin. Tickets are £10 (students £5) and are available from Barrie Lewis, Market Precinct, Llanelli, phone 01554-772594 or at the door.
• Crwbin Silver Band Christmas Concert will be at Pontyberem Hall on Friday, December 14 (7pm). The concert will also feature Ysgol Maes y Gwendraeth choir and wind band. Tickets are £8 (children £5) and will be available at the door or from band members.
• The West End At Christmas will be at The Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen on December 18.
• The Kidwelly Festival Ladies Choir will be performing at a Grand Christmas Concert and Vintage Fashion Show at Carmarthen Museum, Abergwili, on December 15 (6pm). Tickets are £10 adults and £5 children.
• On Saturday, December 9, Burry Port Town Band will be holding their annual Christmas concert the Memorial Hall in Burry Port, 7pm start. The concert will also feature Burry Port Junior Band, Father Christmas and special guests. Congratulations are also due to the band for winning the 2018 First Section Welsh League Championship title and the Ruby Protheroe Memorial Trophy at the SEWBBA Cardiff Contest.

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

Parents across Carmarthenshire are being reminded that they need to apply online for their child’s school place.

Pupils due to start in secondary school next September 2019 need to apply for their place by 21 December 2018.

There is no automatic transfer, applications must be made to the county council by the deadline, and parents will be informed of the outcome on 1^st March 2019.

For children due to start in nursery or primary school the deadline for applications is 31 January 2019.

If a child was born between 1^st September 2015 and 31^st August 2016, they could start full time school in September 2019, or January/April 2020.

Children who were born between 1^st September 2016 and 31^st August 2017, could start school part time in January, April or September 2020.

Parents must apply online for nursery or primary places, they will be informed of the outcome of the primary application on 16^th April 2019, and nursery applications in October 2019.

Applications can be made at www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/schooladmissions

Applications can also be made on a phone or tablet, or for those without internet access they can contact their local school who will be happy to assist, or visit their local library to use the computers available there.

Education executive board member Cllr Glynog Davies said: “Although parental choice will always be a consideration, no child can be guaranteed a place at the school of their choice. However it is essential that applications are made before the closing date in order for their wishes to be considered. Applications are now made online for secondary, primary and nursery school places. I would urge parents to get their application forms in by the deadline in order to ensure their wishes are considered when school places are allocated.”

Extra surge and step-down beds in some hospitals, more medical and Out of Hours support staff and extended MIU opening hours during the peak holiday season – these are just some of the additional measures Hywel Dda is planning to put in place to counter what is expected to be an extremely difficult winter period.

With well-documented seasonal pressures now becoming year-round pressures, the health board is planning a number of operational interventions to ensure that we can continue to treat patients in the most appropriate way for their need.  This means adopting a whole-system approach which brings together acute hospitals, primary care and community settings as well as local authority and the third sector.

The plans, which will be considered at a full meeting of the health board on Thursday, 29 November 2018, include:

• Extra Out of Hours support with Advanced Paramedic Practitioners and an advice doctor joining the service
• More community staff to support extra interim care beds in Ceredigion
• Extra weekend support with more medical staff, dedicated discharge vehicles in the north and south of the Health Board, and additional therapy staff
• An extra 12 inpatient beds at Withybush General Hospital, as well as GP support at the front door during afternoons and evenings
• An ambitious and targeted flu campaign for the public and our staff
• Greater access to cardiology services to ensure patients receive quicker access to specialist tests
• Plans to develop bridging services (additional domiciliary care packages to address delayed starts of packages of care)
• Closer collaboration with care homes in Llanelli, with a view to increasing the number of beds available
• An expansion of care at home through the Acute Response Team 
• Nationally facilitated initiatives to support the launch of NHS111 across the health board

In addition, the health board is also planning to add extra resilience to services during the 18 days between 21 December 2018 to 6 January 2019, when nine days within this busy period are weekends or bank holidays. 

This includes extending MIU opening hours; extra support to improve discharge – such as therapies, pharmacy, cardio-physiology and support staff; an additional Middle Grade / Consultant focused on discharge at weekends and bank holidays, and extended community pharmacy hours over weekends and bank holidays.

But we can’t do this on our own.  We need every single member of the public to play their part – and there are a number of ways you can help.

To ensure that we can treat patients who have a medical emergency, and to avoid ambulances queuing outside our A&Es or being diverted to other hospitals, we’re urging people to be Winter Wise and choose your healthcare services very carefully – for more information visit http://www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/winterwise. This will give you advice and support on choosing the right healthcare service for your need, so that we are only seeing people with urgent or emergency care needs in A&E.  Remember – every patient that turns up to A&E with a condition that could be better treated in the community, by their GP or pharmacist, or in an MIU, adds pressure on the system and means waiting times for acutely unwell patients will continue to increase.

Also, if you have a friend, family member or loved one who is medically well enough to be discharged from hospital, please help us by coming to pick them up promptly.  This will allow us to free up beds faster for acutely unwell patients and keep the patient flow steady through our hospitals. It is also important that people do not choose to remain in hospital if they are waiting to be discharged to their preferred care home; hospital is for acutely ill people and a safe and prompt discharge to the most appropriate place is essential and will achieve the best outcome for that person and their family.

Members of the public and healthcare staff are also being urged to protect themselves, their families and patients by having the flu jab. Flu can cause serious illness and can even be life threatening to people in at-risk groups so it’s essential that the public do all they can to protect themselves and others.

Joe Teape, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations, said: “Last winter brought unprecedented pressures to NHS health boards and trusts across the UK and it’s fair to say that Hywel Dda experienced some really difficult periods trying to deliver urgent and emergency care services.

“Demand is so high that it’s felt like we’ve been in winter since last summer – the pressure hasn’t eased and what people don’t see is the very real knock-on effect that this has on patients with the most urgent care needs.  This could mean ambulances being delayed or diverted to other hospitals, because they can’t transfer patients immediately into busy A&E departments if there isn’t a bed available for them; it could mean that an operation you’ve been waiting for months to have being cancelled on the day you’re meant to have it because we might not have a bed for you.

“The health board has plans in place to help ease some of these pressures and hopefully enable us to see and treat patients the way we want to, but we can’t do it alone and we urgently need the public to help us.

“The NHS is here for all of us and we are extremely lucky to have it, but if we want it to look after us we’ve got to make sure we look after it too.”

The latest podcast from Phil Evans and Robert Lloyd.

The Big Cwtsh – Episode 35.