MEMBERS of Llanelli Ramblers have been celebrating their links with walkers from the town’s French twin town of Agen.

Elaine Jenkins, publicity officer for Llanelli Ramblers, explained –

“On July 1, 1989, Llanelli Town formally entered into a twinning link with the French town  of Agen, situated between Toulouse and Bordeaux. The common denominator of the two towns was rugby.

“But, in 2005, another very close link was established between Llanelli Ramblers and their Agen counterparts – the Randonneurs.

“The walking groups act independently but within the framework of the twinning agreement, and the September meetings have evolved into a biennial pattern.

“Both groups have gained enormous pleasure walking together in the Pyrenees and Snowdonia, the coast of Cardigan Bay and The Med, as well as our lovely local counties.

“This September, we welcomed the Randonneurs to Llanelli for their sixth visit.”

The Diplomat Hotel was booked for their stay and a comprehensive programme of walks and visits was planned for the week.

Elaine added: “We started quite near with a visit to Llandeilo, noted for its sophisticated shopping and art galleries. Nominated drivers took the 11 visitors to the town. They  were excited to start their holiday with a five-mile walk in what turned out to be glorious weather.

“They were delighted with Dinefwr Castle and Castle Woods and were suitably impressed with the beautiful Towy Valley. This was a wonderful start and already new friendships were being forged and old friendships rekindled.

“Day 2 was a trip to Laugharne. Here, we followed a figure-of-eight walk which featured many of poet Dylan Thomas’s haunts. The Birthday Walk, Brown’s Hotel – Dylan’s favourite drinking haunt – his writing shed and his last resting place in St Martin’s Church graveyard were visited. At the graveyard, the Ramblers gave a beautiful rendition of Eli Jenkins’s Prayer.

“On Monday there was a trip to Mumbles with a lovely five-mile ramble on the coastal path to Rotherslade Bay and Bracelet Bay. A climb to Oystermouth Castle for great views of Swansea Bay left our visitors in awe once again of the beauty we have on our doorstep.

“Back to the Diplomat and a quick change for the visitors before attending the Mayor’s reception. Here they were formally welcomed by the town dignitaries, speeches were made and gifts given followed by a delicious buffet.

“Tuesday meant an early start as the group were taken to experience the magic of Bannau Brycheiniog with a scenic ride on the historic Brecon Mountain Railway. The line runs from Pant, three miles North of Merthyr Tydfil and follows part of the route of the original Brecon and Merthyr Railway which closed in 1964.

“From Torpantau they were led back to the station via Pontsticyll and the Taf Fechan Reservoir – another memorable day.

“A coach trip had been planned for the following day and every seat was taken for the trip to St David’s, Britain’s smallest city – given the status because of the 12th century St David’s Cathedral which the group visited.

“They were also led to Porth Clais and back to St David’s. On the walk they admired the stunning Pembrokeshire coast – so rewarding on a beautiful sunny day.

“They stopped at The Fox and Hounds outside Carmarthen for a meal before returning to Llanelli after a wonderful day out.

“The weather had been kind all week but not so on their last day. The walk was around the Lliedi Reservoir in Swiss Valley. For much of the walk they were sheltered from the rain under the trees. Nevertheless, the planned outdoor picnic ended with a buffet in the Diplomat provided by the generosity of the Ramblers – many of whom are master cake-makers.

“In fact, the Randonneurs were very impressed with the hospitality extended to them in the form of car lifts, and treats every day.

“The day ended with a farewell dinner in the Diplomat preceded by an excellent concert featuring The Phil Harmonics – a superb local rock and pop ladies choir.

“The evening was a great success and all the leaders and back markers of the Welsh walks were duly thanked as were the members who had donated cakes, sweets and alcohol! Again, gifts were exchanged and the icing on the cake was an invitation back to Agen in two years’ time.

“It was poignant in that Mr Greison Thomas, assisted by Mrs Nina Clements, who had arranged these visits since 2005, formally resigned and handed over the baton to Mrs Eirwen Stephens, who has proved a worthy successor having overseen and planned this very successful visit alongside her loyal team.

“May these lasting friendships continue.”

Photos: Ramblers in Laugharne. Ramblers at civic reception at Llanelli Town Council’s offices at The Old Vicarage.

ONCE upon a time, former USA President George W Bush said, “The trouble with the French is that they have no word for entrepreneur”.

But . . . hang on a minute, did he actually say it?

The answer, as you probably guessed, is, No, he didn’t.

The quote floats around the internet as ‘truth’, but I often use it as an example to explain to youngsters about checking facts.

Apparently, the Bush story can be traced back to a joke by Baroness Shirley Williams, founder of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Since then, it has taken on a life of its own in the great cloud of misinformation that exists on the internet.

The French do, of course, have a word for entrepreneur. And no prizes for guessing that it is ‘entrepreneur’.

According to the Oxford Review, the word entrepreneur originates from the 13th century French word ‘entreprendre’, which means to do something. By the 16th century this had become the noun entrepreneur, meaning someone who undertakes a business project or speculation.

History lesson over, I can now explain why the good folk of Llanelli are going to be hearing a lot more about the word entrepreneur over the next few months.

There have been plenty of stories over recent years branding Llanelli down-at-heel, with areas of deprivation and empty shops in the town centre.

But recent months have seen the growth of a new movement suggesting many of the town’s problems can be solved from within – by the local community and, in particular, by the younger generation.

Projects like Community Science, led by Dr Scott Griffiths, and the Llanelli Township Community Benefit Society are part of new ‘let’s help ourselves’ thinking.

And, in local education, Dr Felicity Healey-Benson, an entrepreneurial learning champion at the University of Wales Trinity St David, is helping teachers and pupils adopt new ways of learning and thinking.

Dr Healey-Benson explained some of her mission to develop new entrepreneurial thinking in schools to members of Llanelli Rotary Club this week.

She said: “They (pupils) have a community in their local area which is failing and is undernourished. There are changes happening around them which are causing depression.

“The town is dilapidated; people are feeling frustrated. They don’t feel that there’s a future for them.

“Now, it’s very easy to sit back and allow that pipeline of youth and intelligence to drift and move out of the town.

“We are working with schools to look at the curriculum and ways we can inspire our students to take advantage of a ‘living curriculum’ and go out and identify the problems in their local area and actually take those issues and use them as part of their projects.

“They can look for creative ways and be inspired to find their own solutions.

“They can work with mobilising resources to make use of what’s around them.

“It’s actually connecting the curriculum to what is happening about them, so they have the skill sets to be agents of change in their own environment.”

Dr Healey-Benson has already piloted ideas from the European Commission EntreComp project in Dafen school. Now she is rolling out her entrepreneurship ideas to other primary and secondary schools in the area.

They are big bold ideas which will, hopefully, give the youngsters of Llanelli ownership of the task of regenerating the town and help create a more resilient and sustainable community.

You can expect to hear more about Dr Healey-Benson’s work when Global Entrepreneurship Week comes around in November.

Watch this space!

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ACCORDING to the Head of the Household (aka the good lady wife, Mrs Lloyd), I’m only really happy these days when I’ve got something to moan about.

In which case (if only my dodgy knees would only allow it), I should be skipping around and singing a merry tune today – even if it is the dreaded Friday the 13^th!

Regular readers will recall that, back in June, I was having a whinge about people who park on pavements.

On several occasions, tradesmen managed the difficult technical feat of putting all four wheels of their vans on the pavement outside my house.

I decided to report the matter to the police, assuming that our local Bobbies would be interested in a nice little open-and shut case of obstruction.

The answer came back from the local constabulary – ‘This incident would need to be reported to your local council, as the duty now lies with them to manage the road network.’

I didn’t have the energy or enthusiasm for spending a further three hours on the phone trying to find the correct council department to file a complaint. I reasoned that, by the time the council moved into gear, the vans would be long gone.

Last week, I noticed the newly-erected, very smart (and probably very expensive) digital bus stop sign at West End in Llanelli was out of order.

When it works, it should flash up the arrival time of the next bus to, say, Kidwelly or Carmarthen.

I reasoned that it would be best to complain to the First Cymru bus company and used the old Twitter platform they now call X. The response arrived quicker than the bus –

‘Thank you for reaching out! I am afraid stops/stations are under the local authority and not First Bus. Please reach out to your local authority to report this and they will be able to assist you.’

I did use the X platform to ‘reach out’ (the buzz phrase of the year, I suspect) to Carmarthenshire Council, but found that my X social media account must be ‘verified’ to communicate with the local authority.

Mrs L is delighted. She knows there could be hours of fun left in this latest moan!

Twitter: @rlloydpr

Email: robertlloydpr@rlloydpr.co.uk

Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (A Musical Thriller) staged by Llanelli Youth Theatre at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

IT’S big, it’s bold and (in so many different ways) it is bloody good.

Llanelli Youth Theatre’s Sweeney Todd is a theatrical ‘event’ for west Wales.

Youth Theatre artistic director Christopher J Rees has never shied away from a challenge.

Stephen Sondheim’s musical masterpiece is as meaty a challenge as you could wish for in the theatre.

Fortunately, the LYT cast and crew have the appetite for the occasion and have approached the task with admirable enthusiasm and energy.

Audience members are offered two views – a lofty seat in the Circle to get a bird’s eye view of the action, or a chance to go ‘immersive’ and join the cast and crew on the enlarged stage deck at Ffwrnes Theatre.

The second choice allows you the chance to stand and stroll through the sets of 19^th century London, while the action unfolds before you. Trust me, it’s up close and personal and an experience not to be missed.

If you choose the immersive option, then you’d best pay close attention and adopt your best Phil Bennett side-steps as the action unfolds around you with the speed of a rugby international. And be prepared to be that close to the singing that you can feel the breath on your face.

Simon Nehan, as we might expect for an actor of his stature, is outstanding in the title role. He demands your attention throughout and there’s enough menace in his eyes to leave you having bad dreams.

Pat Stevens, meanwhile, is revelling in the role of Mrs Lovett. It’s obvious she’s having the time of her life in a role she loves.

There’s strong support from other cast members – Benn-Llewellyn Williams (Anthony Hope), Amelia Cliffe (Johanna), Adrian Wyn Rowlands (Judge Turpin), Danny Messaggiero (The Beadle), Sarah Arthur (Beggar Woman), Greg Arthur (Adolfo Pirelli/Jonas Fogg) and Harrison Arthur (Tobias Ragg).

Make a note of the last name. Young Harrison Arthur is following a great family tradition in Llanelli Youth Theatre and he’s a name to watch in the future.

The Storytellers include Louise Cliffe, Megan Coombs, Mollie Dunning, Ashley Eynon-Davies, Cai Francis, Clare Holland, Raya McDowall and Roy Tillman.

The show may have ‘the worst pies in London’, but it’s musical magic which will live long in the memory as another massive success for Llanelli Youth Theatre, a group now celebrating 40 years of artistic excellence and youthful endeavour in west Wales.

Photos: Llanelli Youth Theatre

• Tickets for Sweeney Todd are £20 and performance dates are – 13 Sept, 19:30; 14 Sept, 14:30; 14 Sept, 19:30; 15 Sept, 14:30. Tickets are available from the Ffwrnes Theatre box office and the Carmarthenshire Theatres – Theatrau Sir Gar website at – https://www.theatrausirgar.co.uk/en/shows/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street
• Earlier story – http://rlloydpr.co.uk/2024/09/04/latest-on-song-column-september-04/

THE search is on to find Llanelli’s Sportsperson of the Year and other potential winners of the prestigious Brin Isaac Memorial Awards.

Track cyclist Emma Finucane was the main prize winner at the 72nd Brin Isaac Memorial Fund (BIMF) awards held at the Diplomat Hotel last December.

This week, the countdown to the 73rd awards started in earnest with the launch of the appeal for nominations for prizes.

Awards secretary Brian Hughes said: “The Brin Isaac Memorial Fund remembers the late Brin Isaac, who gave such splendid service to young men through the YMCA, boxing, Scouting and many other activities and endeavours to further his work.

“Each year, nominations are invited for the best sporting performances (male and female) in the 14-19 years group and 19 and upward. These are judged by an independent panel of judges.”

The roll call of winners at the Brin Isaac Awards last year was:

■ Sportsperson of the Year – Emma Finucane, World Track Cycling.

■ Walter Hughes Cup (Sportsperson runner-up) – Amy Cole, Track Cycling.

■ Star Cup (Junior Cup) – Madison Davies, Gymnastics (Trampolining).

■ Stradey Centenary Cup (Junior Runner-up) – Rhisian Thomas – Gymnastics (Tumbling).

■ Kelly Evans Shield (Services to sport) – Vaughan Thomas – Llanelli Cricket.

■ W Jack Hughes Cup (Coach of the Year) – Leigh Randall – Kickboxing.

Nominations secretary Dyfrig Roberts said: “The Brin Isaac Awards in Llanelli are always regarded as one of the most prestigious events in the sporting calendar in West Wales.”

Previous sports personality winners have included RH Williams, Terry Davies, Derek Quinnell, Phil Bennett, Terry Griffiths, Jonathan Davies, David Kingdon, Dai Greene, Stephen Jones, Simon Jones, Robert Croft and Rupert Moon.

Since the first dinner was held in 1951, the charity has supported 20 independent charities, including the Ty Bryngwyn Llanelli Hospice, Save the Children, Marie Curie, the NSPCC and the Wales Air Ambulance.

The present chairman of the Brin Isaac Memorial Fund is former world-ranked squash champion Adrian Davies.

See the website for an online nomination form – https://www.brinisaac.com

You can also nominate by writing to the BIMF nomination secretary, Dyfrig Roberts, at 34 Goring Road, Llanelli, SA15 3HN.

This year’s presentation dinner is at the Diplomat Hotel, Llanelli, on Tuesday, December 3 (6.45pm).

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THE Brin Isaac Awards website has this citation to the Brin Isaac Story (1901-1948):

“Brin Isaac had but a short life of 47 years. The number of those fortunate to have been privileged by personal con­tact with him grows smaller as his death occurred after the Second World War. For all that, his name and achievements are in these days more widely known and honoured than during the lifetime he devoted to the unstinted service of youth and sport.

“This in itself is sufficient reward for those who in 1950 inaugurated the Brin Isaac Memorial Fund to perpetuate the memory and spirit of one who in amateur boxing, gymnastics and scouting, and in other ways too numerous to identify, did so much for the generations of Llanelli youth who approached maturity during the difficult inter-war years and the periods that followed.

“Originating at the Llanelli YMCA, the home of his boxing club, a celebrated nursery for cadet, schoolboy and Welsh ABC champions, the Brin Isaac Memorial Fund has over the years fostered virtually all forms of sporting endeavour through the medium of the annual awards to those who distinguished themselves by outstanding performance or, in the true Brin Isaac tradition, in long and selfless service to a chosen pursuit.

“By such means – although the man has long left us – his spirit and example are preserved.”

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The Brin Isaac Memorial Fund offers a Sporting Talent Bursary Programme.

The bursary programme is intended to help with the ever-increasing costs associated with training and competing and is for all athletes up to 20 years of age.

Athletes are entitled to apply for up to £250 bursary, with the closing date December 31 each year.

Applications will be reviewed during the month of January each year and successful applicants contacted before St.David’s Day.

Youngsters can apply by completing the bursary application form on the website at – https://www.brinisaac.com

A new replica veterinary clinic is set to open at Aberystwyth University as Wales’s only School of Veterinary Science expands.

The investment, worth around £150,000, in the Veterinary Education Centre will pay for new facilities such as waiting, examination and treatment areas along with key equipment used for small animal care.

Most of the new work to expand the Centre’s site at the University’s Penglais campus was funded by a bequest from the estate of the late Gordon Burrows.

 The new investment is in addition to over £2 million that was spent to establish Aberystwyth Veterinary School, which was officially opened in 2021 by King Charles III.

The new clinic facilities will be used to train undergraduates on the University’s BVSc Veterinary Science course, run in collaboration with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). They will also be used by the first ever students on Aberystwyth University’s new Veterinary Nursing degree who begin their studies later this month.

Professor Darrell Abernethy, Head of Aberystwyth University’s School of Veterinary Science, said: “As part of their learning process, it is important that our students gain experience in veterinary clinical training and an understanding of the key equipment and processes undertaken at veterinary clinics. We are deeply grateful for this generous bequest which allows us to take a step forward with our plans to expand our facilities and further enhance the teaching we offer at Aberystwyth.”

“Wales now has its own School of Veterinary Science that is tuned to, and meets, the needs of its own veterinary community – from providing graduates who can speak Welsh, who come from Wales and are thus more likely to stay in Wales, to supporting the profession with post-graduate training and undertaking research that is both excellent and locally relevant.

 “By enhancing the profession, we support not only the farming community but pet owners, equestrian interests, national government and, in turn, Welsh society. That is also why Aberystwyth University has invested so heavily in creating a centre of excellence in animal health to add to its existing platforms – from state-of-the-art laboratories to world-class expertise in bovine TB research.”

Photo: Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science students

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

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GRIM GRAMMAR GRUMBLES

As a quick follow-up to last week’s article about ‘Trigger Warnings,’ I understand that the people at Disney have decided that from today, before every TV showing of their classic Winnie The Pooh featurettes, there’ll be a ‘Tigger Warning’.

I suppose I should have included that little joke last week, but there’s a good reason why I didn’t.

I only thought of it last night.

I hope you appreciate I used the correct term ‘should have’ and not, as I increasingly hear and even see in print and online – ‘should of’, which is the sort of lazy use of language that sets my teeth on edge.

Not as much as they were last week when I overheard someone in the supermarket remark, “I says to him, I says, ‘Who does you think you is’?”

Why do so many people now say ‘should of’ when they wouldn’t have been taught that at school?

And they wouldn’t be saying it if they’d seen the term written in a book, magazine or newspaper, correctly spelt by someone with a knowledge of English grammar.

Well, you and I both know the answer to that.

There’s now a generation, maybe more than one, that get their views, news and opinions from social media, generated by people like them who are averse to picking up a book or newspaper.

So, it only takes one person to write, for example, “My boyfriend should of met me at six o’clock, but he was an hour late”, and their followers, and their followers’ followers will perpetuate the error.

Ah! I hear one or two of you ask, “In the grand scheme of things, is correct grammar important these days?”

I can best answer that by ending with a paragraph I’ve deliberately peppered with ‘bad grammar’.

Last week I artended a confrense of lokal bizziness peepill to disgust a bran knew skeem that ayms to cre-eight a fab’less leizure complecks that will evenchewally h’attract thousands of two wrists and boots the arias ekonomee.

If I wrote my articles that way every week, you’d all be running to the dentist with painful teeth!

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The Absurd Art of Collecting Creative Chaos: A Laughing Matter!

Let’s face it, my friends, creativity is a wild ride, a rollercoaster of ideas that often feels more like a clown car spilling out one-liners than a disciplined writing process.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been hauling around my trusty little black book.

No, it’s not a secret agent’s diary, though that would be cool.

Instead, it’s my personal vault for every fleeting thought and ridiculous observation that flits through my mind, like a butterfly on a sugar high.

You see, if I don’t jot down every spark of brilliance, those gems disappear faster than a magician’s rabbit. Poof! Gone! And trust me, I’ve had enough “oops, that was a great idea” moments to know that my little black book is a treasure chest of lost genius.

I’ve become a collector of these books, with a staggering 60 scattered throughout my house. I even keep one by my bed because, let’s be honest, the best ideas usually strike just as I’m about to fall into a drooling sleep.

But, here’s the twist, my writing speed is so fast that my notes sometimes resemble ancient hieroglyphics.

I could probably start my own archaeological dig to decipher my own thoughts!

It’s a thrilling adventure, akin to solving a mystery novel, but instead of a detective, I’m just a frazzled writer trying to remember what “chocolate unicorn” was really supposed to mean.

Yet, despite the chaos, this quirky obsession brings me immense joy.

One day, I’ll crack open these whimsical time capsules and embark on a journey through a hilarious history of my mind.

Sure, nostalgia is like that one friend who always shows up late to the party, but still knows how to make an entrance.

So, here’s to the wonderfully zany world of creativity, where every laugh, scribble, and chaotic thought is part of the show.

Keep your little black book close, embrace the madness, and prepare for a comedy of memories that will leave you chuckling (or scratching your head) for years to come!

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