Introbiz is wishing everyone a happy new year, as we look forward to the business opportunities 2019 brings.

Last year, we connected thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups and business owners together at our eight different types of networking events.

We are always aiming to connect you with your target audience in fantastic venues. In 2019, we have no plans to slow down with hundreds of businesses expected to attend our first few networking events of the year. Start the new year the right way and connect with like-minded business professionals who will help you transform your business.

Be proactive in 2019 and come and meet your next client or business partner. Visitors are welcome to attend to discover the many ways we can help your business grow. 

Upcoming Introbiz events for 2019

Power Group Event at the Vale Resort Hotel

Join us at our first business networking event of 2019. We will be hosting a power group event at The Vale Resort, Hensol on Thursday, 10th January from 4-6pm. Over 80-100 businesses attended this event last year. Connect with like-minded business professionals and build new relationships for 2019. The first hour will be used for informal networking where you can enjoy a delicious selection of refreshments. The second hour will take a more formal turn as guests take their seats at their designated tables. At the end of the event, there’ll be an opportunity to hand out your business cards and ask or answer any questions you may have. Celebrate our first business networking event of the year. Book your ticket, here. 

Ladies Lunch at Holm House Hotel 

Are you looking to meet, socialise or network with the amazing women in your community?  Join us for ladies’ power lunch held at Holm House Hotel on Friday, 18th January from 12:30-2:30pm. Over 40-60 businesses attended this event last year.

This event is structured around helping to create a strong professional network for like-minded business professionals. On arrival, guests will collect a glass of bubbly and network informally for the first hour. During the second hour, a delicious main course and dessert lunch will be served followed by more networking. Book your ticket, here. 

Networking Breakfast at the Vale Resort Hotel

Join us, Friday 25th January from 7:30am-9:30am, at the Vale Resort Hotel. Over 80-100 businesses attended this event last year. This is the perfect opportunity to connect with new business owners, corporate companies and SMEs in a brilliant venue. Enjoy networking over a delicious cooked breakfast. You’ll be sat on a table with businesses that meet your target audience and you’ll be able to showcase your business and what you do. Join us at the first networking breakfast event of the year, book here.    

SAVE THE DATE

Introbiz 10th year birthday celebrations

Introbiz are celebrating ten years in business and as we reach this milestone we want to celebrate with everyone who has been part of our success, as we truly appreciate your support. Join us, Thursday 7th February at Novotel Hotel, Cardiff from 4pm-7pm. To find out more, click here.

To book onto these exclusive networking events please call the

Introbiz team on 02920 291002 or email info@introbiz.co.uk.

FUTURE EVENTS

Introbiz 10th Year Birthday Party, Novotel Hotel Cardiff 

Thursday 7th February

4pm- 7pm

Ladies Lunch at Holm House Hotel

Friday 18th January 2019

12:30pm-2:30pm

Ladies’ Lunch at Ty Madeira Restaurant, Cardiff

Friday, 15th February

12:30pm–2:30pm

Networking Breakfast at the Vale Resort

Friday 25th January 2019

7:30am – 9:30am

Introbiz Networking Events 

CONTACT:

02920 291 002     E. INFO@INTROBIZ.CO.UK   

WWW.INTROBIZ.CO.UK

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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

…………………………

2018 saw me busier than ever, writing these articles every week; gigging; creating new material for my act; arranging stand-up shows for myself and other comedians; and generally making an honest living.

I also spent too much time watching Piers Morgan’s selfish “This show’s all about me!” breakfast TV rants that went on so long, the national and local news bulletins were regularly pushed back by 10 minutes which meant the final guest only had 90 seconds to plug their new CD/film/TV series/tour before their face was suddenly replaced by Lorraine’s, peering from under her fringe.

I’m not making any New Year Resolutions as I already lead a life free of vices.

If you don’t believe me, ask Cledwyn, who owns the chippie, Mehmet Caradoc-Jones who runs the kebab shop next door and Mrs Betty Evans, the landlady of my local pub.

However, Iwouldlike to make a New Year Resolution for The School Of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), who booked comedian Konstantin Kisinto do an unpaidstand-up show this month (proceeds to UNICEF) and then e-mailed him a ‘Behavioural agreement form’ containing a long list of subjects he couldn’t make jokes about, including ‘Ageism, anti-religion and anti-atheism’ and insisted his material had to be ‘Respectful and kind’!

My printable2019 resolution for SOAS is ‘Grow up!’

Have they neverbeen to a comedy club or watched comedians on TV? 

Do they not realise that every jokehas a victim – including comedians when they’re self-deprecatory about their own failings?

Comedy club audiences can get a little wild after a few drinks and expect and demand strong material that’ll make them laugh – not ‘respectful and kind’ tales to send them home reciting poetry.

Students who graduate from SOAS will have to leave their intolerance behind, otherwise they’ll find the real world a verydifficult place to survive in.

Ironically, Konstantin left his native Russia to escape repression and came to Britain, the land of democracy where ‘freedom of speech’ was respected by everyone.

Not quite everyone obviously, eh SOAS?

…………………. 

The weekend between Christmas and the New Year is a proper chill-out time for many.

Well, for those who are not working that is . . .

For me, there was a lot of preparation and planning, building up to what was something of an exciting challenge, something that I had not been part of for more than 35 years.

Last Sunday, I took the plunge, and competed in a tarmac rally event at the Welsh Motor Sport Centre, Pembrey, alongside my co-driver Dean Wiltshire from Ammanford Motor Club.

Well – that’s one way to burn off some of the additional Christmas calories, I suppose! 

Despite the damp and foggy weather, this turned out to be a very well-attended event, with close to 80 rally cars competing – and motor sport enthusiasts were out in droves supporting the competitors. 

Carmarthen Motor Club renamed the annual Christmas Stage rally ‘The Jaffa Stages’ in memory of Gareth Roberts. 

Gareth “Jaffa” Roberts was a superb rally co-driver from Carmarthen, who was killed in an accident while competing in the Targa Flora rally in Sicily in June, 2012, while sitting alongside Irish driver Craig Breen. 

The camaraderie among the rallying community is like no other. 

Long may the memory continue. 

—————-

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

Please again include www.philevans.co.uk

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Match Report – Carmarthen Town v Llanelli (1 January 2019)  

Carmarthen Town (2)  Llanelli (0)    

What a difference a New Year makes – after Carmarthen’s deeply disappointing performance at Llanelli on Boxing Day, for this festive holiday reverse fixture they thrilled their supporters by producing a brand of possession football laced with exhilarating fast attacking play that has rarely been seen in recent seasons. 

The Old Gold took the initiative from the start with a series of rapid penetrating bursts from midfield that seriously tested the visitors’ defence.  And after 3 minutes a sequence of crisp passes across the field finished with Sean Hanbury firing a searching left-wing cross into the goalmouth where Greg Walters’ close-range shot was blocked in front of the goal before the ball was cleared safely away.

Then following a further spell of sustained pressure Town took the lead in the 8^thminute with a well-executed set-piece finish – Hanbury delivered a fine corner-kick into the crowded penalty area and saw Luke Bowen, arriving with perfect timing to direct a delightful glancing header into the bottom corner of the net.

Carmarthen continued to dominate the play and remarkably it was only after the 19^thminute that ‘keeper Lee Idzi was first called into any meaningful action when he easily claimed an over-hit cross.

However his opposite number, Llanelli’s Oliver Davies, was far busier as the Old Gold poured forward relentlessly.  On 22 minutes industrious midfielder Ceri Morgan won the ball off a defender near the corner of the penalty area then slid it forward to Walters – he instantly played it across to Bowen who from 15 yards struck a fierce angled drive that Davies resisted with a superb reflex save.

Moments later Luke Cummings, from the corner of the penalty area, curled a dangerous free-kick towards the far corner of the goal only for Davies to claw the ball away just as Dave Vincent seemed likely to tap it into the net.

With the significant business of the match being largely conducted in the visitors’ half, it was not until the 35^thminute that they managed to get a shot on target – a cross from Chris Jones into the penalty area was cleared but the ball fell nicely for Jamie Owen who wasted the opportunity by directing a weak 20 yard effort straight at Idzi which he comfortably saved.

Shortly afterwards they forced Idzi into further action.  Jordan Follows sent a fine pass through to Michael George who raced free into the penalty area only for Town’s experienced ‘keeper to come quickly out of his goal and clear the danger.

Yet the final notable action of the first-half arose at the other end of the pitch.  On 44 minutes Bowen, on the right flank, neatly slid the ball across the edge of the penalty area where Walters dispatched a crisp angled strike that flew beyond Davies’ reach but slid narrowly wide of the far post.

After the interval the Old Gold again took the early initiative and went close to extending their lead on 52 minutes when a slick exchange of passes ended with Hanbury firing a cross into the goalmouth – while the ball was cleared by a defender, it was claimed by Walters who instantly released a stunning drive that defeated Davies only to fly marginally outside the post.

However moments later Town deservedly found success – from close to the half-way line Walters, an increasing influential presence in midfield, produced a remarkable long pass that set Bowen racing clear of defenders and into the penalty area where he cleverly “walked” the ball around the advancing Davies and fired it into the empty net.

Then after 68 minutes Mael Davies robbed a defender of the ball on the corner of the penalty area and swiftly fired it across the goalmouth to find Liam Thomas who struck a sharp close-range volley that drew an excellent point-blank save from Oliver Davies to turn the ball around the post.

And on 74 minutes the Old Gold continued their dominance of the proceedings when Vincent, on the half-way line, began a delightful six-man passing move that carved open the visitors’ defence and finished with Mael Davies crossing the ball into the goalmouth only for Thomas, arriving at speed, to narrowly fail to reach it for a simple tap-in chance.

By now, however, Town seemed content to simply keep possession and slow down the pace of the game. Yet in the 82^ndminute veteran central defender Lee Surman made a rare excursion upfield in open play when he took the ball forward from the half-way line then played it across to Walters who released a stunning 25 yard strike that drew another excellent flying save from Oliver Davies.

And soon afterwards Aidan O’Kelly, making a welcome return after four months out with a serious injury sustained in only the second match of the season, moved down the left wing then slipped the ball across to Mael Davies who struck a rasping 30 yard drive that Llanelli’s overworked ‘keeper claimed at the foot of the post.

This welcome result not only lifts the Old Gold nine points clear of the relegation places, but also takes them up to eighth position in the Welsh Premier League.

This was a refreshing and thoroughly entertaining performance from the Old Gold – one which hopefully will be often repeated over the rest of this season.  

Town’s next fixture is on Saturday January 5^th(k/o 2.30pm) when must travel to Caernarfon for what will undoubtedly be a stern challenge – but they now go there with increased hope.

[Note: Liam Thomas has now reached a total of 184 WPL appearances for Carmarthen since his debut on 18^thAugust 2012 against Aberystwyth and now moves up to 2^ndplace in the all-time list of Town players, having overtaken David Barnhouse.  Only Paul Fowler is ahead of him with 199 appearances, a figure that Liam could possibly surpass, form and fitness permitting, early next season.]

Team:

Lee Idzi;  Luke Cummings (sub Jordan Vickers 88);  Dave Vincent;  Lee Surman;  Jordan Knott (sub Craig Hanford 46);  Mael Davies; Ceri Morgan;  Greg Walters;  Liam Thomas; Luke Bowen;  Sean Hanbury (sub Aidan O’Kelly 78); 

Unused Subs:  Declan Carroll;  Lewis Baldwin;   

Goals:   Luke Bowen (8, 54);  

Cards:  (Y)   Craig Hanford (84);

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There’s plenty to look forward to at our Carmarthenshire theatres (Theatrau Sir Gar) as we welcome in 2019.

February will see The Opera Boys back at The Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen.

The boys are back with a brand new show, full of opera, classical, West End and crossover music, as well as their unique on-stage banter.

Combining four big voices with four big personalities, The Opera Boys promise a fabulous show full of music and laughter!

Operatic arias and classical favourites from ‘Nessun Dorma’ to ‘Time to say goodbye’ are mixed with showstoppers from ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Phantom of the Opera’ right through to ‘Jersey Boys’.

The show also features brand new classical arrangements of modern day pop hits, all performed in The Opera Boys’ inimitable style.

The Opera Boys have been delighting audiences all over the world with their unique show combining beautiful, powerful and emotional music with funny, engaging and light-hearted entertainment.

They are at The Lyric at 7.30pm on Friday, February 8.

Mid Wales Opera return to Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli at 7.30pm on Wednesday, February 27.

They will sing Puccini’s Tosca.

Power and passion collide in this breathtaking masterpiece.

Trapped in a life and death struggle against the corrupt police chief Scarpia, the diva Tosca and her artist lover face the ultimate sacrifice.

Puccini’s lavish score takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster ride from tender love story through powerful brutality to ultimate tragedy. The opera will be performed in English.

The Miners’ Theatre in Ammanford will be staging a St David’s Day Concert on Friday, March 1 (7pm).

The popular Cor Meibion Dyffryn Amman will share the stage with three highly-talented young musicians from the Ammanford area – clarinettist Catrin Soons and the beautiful voices of Neve Summers and Osian Clarke. The guest accompanist will be Joseph Cavalli-Price.

Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli always stages a hugely-popular St David’s Day concert. This year it will be held on Saturday, March 2.

The concert will feature the world-famous Morriston Orpheus Choir, conducted by Joy Amman Davies, and Côr Lleisiau’r Cwm, under the baton of Llanelli’s Catrin Hughes.

Sharing the spotlight will be two highly-talented young singers from the Loud Applause Rising Stars stable – mezzo soprano Nikkila Thomas, from Llanelli, and tenor Osian Clarke, from Tycroes. 

Wednesday, March 6 (7.30pm) will see the appearance of Gruffydd Wyn at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

Gruffydd is a talented Classical crossover artist who hails from Anglesey, North Wales.

A singer from an early age, he has dedicated his life to following his dream of becoming a world class vocal performer.

Gruffydd has recently seen success as a finalist on the talent show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, where he received Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer.

During the series, he received widespread acclaim for his big voice and professional performances under pressure, with judges’ comments such as ‘Epic, phenomenal and outrageously good’ and Simon Cowell calling him ‘The musical version of Rocky’.

If your taste veers to pop and folk, then you’ll enjoy Barbara Dickson in concert at The Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, on Friday, March 8 (7.30pm).

Barbara will perform a wonderful range of material, drawing on her folk roots as well as performing globally known hits such as The Caravan Song, Another Suitcase in Another Hall plus lots more.

The Lyric will also be the venue for one of the UK’s longest-running musical theatre concert tours – Beyond the Barricade (Saturday, March 23, 7.30pm).

The show features past principal performers from Les Miserables.

It will deliver more than two hours of the best of Broadway and the West End and, of course, end with a stunning finale from Les Mis.

The concert features David Fawcett (Valjean) Andy Reiss (Enjolras and Resident Director for the National Tour of Les Miserables) Katie Leeming (Eponine) and Poppy Tierney (Cosette), together with a live band who capture the feel of the original orchestrations of the chosen musicals.

To this day every musical note is still played and sung live – very rare indeed.

Beyond the Barricade gives musical theatre songs a bold concert format treatment – but with the conviction and intention to deliver the material as if the audience are watching the original performance. This incredible concert is now in its 19th successive year.

April sees the spotlight fall on local theatre group Curtain Up at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

They will be performing Broadway and Beyond on Wednesday and Thursday, April 3 and 4 (7pm start).

Broadway and Beyond will be an evening of musical songs from the wonderful world of the stage and your favourite movie films – from La la land, Les Miserables, Chess, Avenue Q, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and many more.

Tickets will be £12 and in aid of Alzheimer’s.

April will also see performances of The Passion Of The Christ, to be performed on Good Friday, April 19, and Easter Saturday, April 20.

The acclaimed voices of the Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers, Angelicus Celtis and friends will present The Passion of The Christ, a blend of varied choral and vocal works, blended with narration and theatre to be held in South Wales over Easter weekend 2019.

This unique performance will present a dramatic retelling of the story of the life and crucifixion of Christ bringing together associated choir and vocal ensembles blending music and poetry from Bach, Barber, Jenkins, Mozart, Webber, Telemann, Dylan Thomas, Elizabeth Browning, Emily Dickson, Langston Hughes and Mary Oliver to name but a few.

The Passion will include opportunities for solo singers, duet, trios, small group chorale and main choir and different roles associated with the life and crucifixion of Christ. Auditions for these singing opportunities will be held in in the Llanelli area during the weekend of January 19. Singing auditions for will be open to the general public, both young and adult voices (soprano, alto tenor, bass) and open to both choristers of the Hywel choir and singers beyond.

If you are interested in learning more about the auditions for The Passion of the Christ, please register your interest by contacting Jeremy Williams at jeremywilliams@me.com

The popular SA15 Stage School return to Ffwrnes Theatre from April 24 to 27 with the musical Annie.

Finally, Friday, June 14 (7.30pm) sees Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli hosting the Les Musicals Live Concert Tour. 

Jonathan Ansell (G4 Frontman) and Jai McDowall (Britains Got Talent – Winner) have joined forces to create a dramatic a spine-tingling concert.

This vocally dynamic evening showcases even more smash-hit songs from the greatest musicals of all time, brought to you by two of the world’s finest voices.

Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – http://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

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As technology and the way we communicate evolves, it has become increasingly important to have access to up-to-date information at the touch of a button. 

To help meet this expectation, West Wales chartered accountants Clay Shaw Butler are very excited to announce the launch of our new tax app which is now available to download for free.

“At Clay Shaw Butler, we are committed to providing you with all the information you require, in an easy to understand format.”

Packed full of useful resources the new tax app is designed to help you with your daily business and personal tasks and features a range of useful tools and valuable tax content, including:

• key tax dates
• interactive tax calculators
• tax tips
• mileage tracker
• expenses tracker
• access to our cloud accounting portals
• and much more!

The tax app is available for Apple, Android and Windows devices and all content will be regularly updated to ensure you always have the answers you need.

You can go to https://clayshawbutler.mytaxapp.co.ukto find out more information and to download the app for free.

Mark Jones (Director) added: “We know how vital it is to have the most up-to-date information on the go, so we developed our tax app to provide you with useful tax content, news and interactive tools at the touch of a button. We hope customers old and new find the app a helpful addition to their day to day accounting needs.”

Weblink – http://www.clayshawbutler.com

The team at Clay Shaw Butler can be contacted on 01267 228500.

The team at Clay Shaw Butler are on Twitter. Look for @clayshawbutler.

Photos: The Clay Shaw Butler taxapp on different mobile devices.

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Carmarthenshire County Council’s highways team have made a Carmarthen teenager’s wish come true, giving her a chance to ride in one of its gritting lorries.

Fifteen-year-old Ashleigh Harrison, of Johnstown, loves to see the gritting crews pass her front room window when they are dispatched from the nearby depot to treat county highways ahead of freezing weather conditions.

Ashleigh, a pupil of QE High School’s Canolfan Elfed inclusion centre for children with additional needs, keeps an eye on weather forecasts and waits to see the crews pass by with their flashing orange lights.

Her older brother Elliott wrote to the council to ask if he could arrange for his sister to visit, saying the experience would be a dream come true.

During her visit to the Cillefwr Depot, Ashleigh had the chance to sit in the cab and ride around the yard, saw the huge mound of salt and grit in the barn, see the equipment used to load the gritters and saw all the lorries parked in the yard ready for action.

She was also presented with giant soft toy bunny, complete with high-visibility jacket, as a memento of her visit.

Ashleigh’s mother Helen said her daughter was ‘over the moon’ and thanked the council for making it happen.

“She was a big gritter fan before – now she is a huge gritter fan,” she said.

“To say she was over the moon is an understatement, she loved every minute of it and loves her rabbit who she has called Gary.”

Her brother Elliott added: “I sent the email but didn’t think it would get anywhere, and we were chuffed when the manager got in touch to say they could arrange a visit.

“She loves seeing the gritters pass our house. This is all she’s going to talk about for months and she’ll tell everyone at school about it.”

Carmarthenshire County Council has a fleet of 21 winter maintenance lorries that treat around a third of the county’s 3,526 kilometres of highway within three hours of a bad weather warning.

Around 14,000 tonnes of salt is kept in stock, used when forecasts show road surface temperatures could drop to freezing point.

Cllr Hazel Evans, Executive Board Member for Environment, said: “We were so pleased to be able to make Ashleigh’s dream come true. Our staff were delighted to meet Ashleigh and her family and had great pleasure showing her around the depot and the gritting lorries. I’d like to thank everyone who helped make this happen.”

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