Blogs

New Feature!!!


By Ceri Shaw, 2012-10-16

Now it will be easier to check and send messages on AmeriCymru. Check out the new notification icon and message dropdown on the ning bar at the top of the page.

COMING SOON!!! A radical redesign of the blogging feature on AC. Watch this space for further details

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Lovespoon Draw Tomorrow!!


By Ceri Shaw, 2012-10-15

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Reproduced with kind permission from David Western's Portland Lovespoon Blog

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Spoon Draw Coming!!

Due to a surge of last minute entries for the West Coast Eisteddfod 2012 lovespoon, we couldn't get the tickets ready in time for a draw during the actual event on Saturday night. Sorry about this delay!!! To everybody who is waiting to see if they have won, we are going to hold the draw tomorrow in downtown Portland. We will be selecting a person from the lunchtime crowd (completely at random) to make the draw and will film it so that everyone knows the draw is completely above board!!!

So the good news is: YOU"RE STILL IN WITH A CHANCE!!!

Stay tuned for the blog tomorrow announcing the winner and hopefully showing some pics from the event!

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Adjudication by Lloyd Jones:-
Hello America,
I enjoyed this year's crop of short stories very much, and I think the quality was more even than ever before, which made my job as judge really difficult. There was very little to choose between you all, and since the whole process is subjective and arbitrary I could have picked names out of a hat and come up with an equally valid list of winners. So do carry on writing if you're not in my top three this year; I've had some severe beatings from judges over the years and I've learnt to just get on with it and enjoy myself. Judges are nearly always morons, we all know that. Myself excepted, of course.
Since he came up with not one but two charming stories, New Shoes and Too Many TVs , I'm going to give the top prize to Thomas Morris. Good stuff, Thomas, and if you haven't been published before I would urge you to write some more stories with a view to presenting your work to a Welsh publisher; I would be happy to introduce you to a commissioning editor.
Second prize goes to Natalie Grigson for Compulsion , and third prize goes to Samantha Priestley for Driving Barefoot .
As for the rest of you, there wasn't a duffer among all the entries. Good luck to you all, and do carry on scribbling.
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Adjudication by Peter Thabit Jones:-

Americymru Poetry Competition 2012

English-language adjudication: Peter Thabit Jone s

First prize: When You Smile You'll Be a Dog No More by Paul Steffan Jones

Second prize: Bourdon by Paul McMahon

Both will be published in THE SEVENTH QUARRY Swansea Poetry Magazine in February 2013, Issue 17.

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I enjoyed reading this years entries and I would like to also mention the following:

Edges by David Cooke

Vacancy Signs by Darrell Lindsay

Untitled poem by Meg Eden

16.7.12 by Coralie Donkers

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The go-ahead firm of QualitySolicitors Redkite is yet again breaking the mould of traditional legal services.
The firm is going to open its Haverfordwest office from 9.30 am to 1 pm on Saturdays from this weekend (October 6).
We are in the vanguard of changing the face of legal services here at QualitySolicitors Redkite, said Managing Partner Luke Smith.
We like to think we are in tune with what our customers want from us in terms of providing a service.
We reckon that Saturday opening will work well for both new client instructions and for servicing existing clients.
QualitySolicitors is a brand which is changing the face of legal services in the UK: you can see that from the mould-breaking TV advertisements and other publicity the brand has attracted in recent months.
The goal in opening on a Saturday morning is to provide a more convenient time to meet our customers and to help provide an ever better service for customers old and new.
Mr Smith said the QualitySolicitors Redkite firm was also planning to open the Carmarthen office on Saturday mornings.
The address for the Haverfordwest office is Cleddau Chambers, 18 - 20 Old Bridge, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA61 2ET Tel:01437 763 332 email: haverfordwest@qs-redkite.com

Redkite team was this year delighted to be chosen as the only law firm in Camarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to join QualitySolicitors. Redkite was established in 2011 through the merger of two long-established law firms in South West Wales Lowless & Lowless and Morris Roberts.
The team at QualitySolicitors Redkite can be contacted on 01267 239000 and 01437 763332 or through the website at www.qualitysolicitors.com/redkite
The firm has 15 partners and a total headcount of 120, with seven offices spread across Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.
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One of the star pupils at the Stagecoach Theatre Arts School in Carmarthen has landed a role in the hit BBC series Call The Midwife.
Grayce Davis, a Stage 2 pupil, is no stranger to the limelight.
The 11-year-old has been making a name for herself with big name model photo-shoots in London, including one for Marks and Spencers and one for the Emma Bunton fashion range.
Stagecoach principal Liane Davies said she was very proud of Grayces continued success.
She added: Grayce loved filming with all the stars of Call The Midwife, but said it was strange to see the stars of the series in person. She joked that she wasnt keen on the period clothes they needed to film the series!
The second series of BBC One's Call the Midwife has been commissioned after the drama's opening episode attracted nearly 10 million viewers.
Set in London's East End in the 1950s, the series stars Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart and Jenny Agutter.
Liane said: We are proud of all our pupils and their achievements, but Grayce is setting the bar very high with being successful for a number of very high profile photo-shoots and these filming roles.
Hopefully, the training she has received at Stagecoach in Carmarthen stands her in good stead. She is obviously a very photogenic young lady and she happily takes on all the hard work involved in filming and photo-shoots.
Grayce was in the news last year when she played the lead role (Olivia) in a music video for jazz singer Aimua Eghobamien's new song Tis what it is.
Shes been lucky enough to do magazine work for several major publishing houses and shes worked with some great photographers Julia Bostock, Lisa Visser and Rankin (John Rankin Waddell).
Grayce has also enjoyed working with big names such as Emma Bunton (Baby Spice from The Spice Girls) and Kids in Glass Houses, the Welsh rock band.

Highlights of Grayces modelling career include
2009 featured in the local council booklet
2010 Model - clothing for Next and Debenhams
2010 Winner of the Face of Carmarthen
2010 Photo shoot for Agency
2011 Photo shoot for Trinity College London
2011 Photo shoot for London Kiddy - Summer Range
2011 Photo shoot for Blue Max online retailer and catalogue
2011 Photo shoot for the autumn/winter range by London Kiddy
2011 Two-day photo shoot for Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) summer range 2012 for Argos on location.
2012 Shoot with Lisa Visser.
Highlights of Grayces acting career include
2010 TV commercial for Fashion Angles
2010 Filming for Nickelodeon featured child on Jamie and Anna's big weekend
2010 On stage performance for the Grimm Tales, two speaking roles
2010 Sang on stage with West End star Peter Karrie
2011 Stage performance of Oliver
2011 Appearing on CBBCs new programme Friday Download
2011 TVC for Bristol Aquarium
2011 Lead role in music video for Kids In Glass Houses

Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen has its base at the Model Church in Wales School.
The school opened in May 2009 and became an instant success. The school now attracts students from the three counties of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
In recent years, Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen has staged the musicals Billy Elliot, Oliver and Annie.
Principal Liane added: Our aim is always to nurture and develop four to 18-year-olds to fulfil their potential through dance, drama and singing.
If you want to find out more about Stagecoach Carmarthen, contact Principal Liane Davies, phone: 0845 604 1422. Email - carmarthen@stagecoach.co.uk.
Website -
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TV and radio commentator and former rugby international Garin Jenkins is to be the guest speaker at Ashburnham Golf Club's Men's Dinner on Friday, October 26.
With 58 caps, Garin Jenkins is Waless most capped hooker.
A former captain of Swansea, hes played in three World Cups, and won both league and cup honours with his club not to mention scoring a try in Swanseas famous 21-6 rout of Australia in 1992.
The dinner is 7.30pm for 8pm.
The dress code is formal/black tie.
The menu is -
Pate
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Smoked peppered mackerel with horseradish sauce
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Duo of roast beef and loin of pork
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Selection of seasonal vegetables
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Roast and parsley potatoes
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Yorkshire pudding and gravy
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Citrus tart with orange sorbet
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Coffee
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Tickets are 20 and places can be reserved by booking a table behind the bar at The Ashburnham
Weblink -
http://www.garinjenkins.com
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Finals Day results from 'The Ash'


By Robert Lloyd, 2012-10-15

Finals Day results from The Ashburnham Championship Links Golf Club in Pembrey, near Llanelli -

Scratch Cup
Elliott Anderson beat Jonathan Belwett 7&6
Ashburnham Cup
Steve Jones beat Leighton Davies 2&1
Seniors Cup
Simon Hill beat John Beynon 3&1
DB Rees Cup
Huw Dixon and Olivia Martin beat Gethin Davies and Fiona Halpin 1Up
Junior Bowl
John Rees beat John Williams 19th
DR Lewis Cup
Devlin Leach and Rob Stone beat Steff Jones and Simon Gravelle 3&1
Junior Matchplay
Rhys Morgan beat Aled Greville 3&1
Judy Ray Championship
Nia Greville beat Olwen Davies 3&2
Roger Williams Cup
Nia Greville beat Lynette Bassett 1Up
Allie David Cup
Barbara Buckland beat Ellie Roberts 1Up
Ladies Senior Matchplay
Mari Jones beat Sue Collard 6&4
WH Jory Foursomes
Juliet Ace and Leena Lodha beat Lynette Bassett and Fiona Halpin 19th
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Carmarthens leading theatre arts school is continuing with its successful Welsh language classes.
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen launched new bilingual classes for early years pupils at the school on St Davids Day.
We wondered what the reaction would be, said Stagecoach Carmarthen principal Liane Davies.
But we have been delighted with the response. The classes are a big hit and we are continuing them this term (the new term started recently).
We have plenty of resources as I am a fluent Welsh speaker, along with two of my early stages staff.
We were keen to test the opinion of our students and their mums and dads. Everyone seems very keen on the idea, so we are continuing to have a bilingual class for one of the early years classes for four to six-year-olds.
I am a passionate supporter of the Welsh language and think that everyone deserves the best possible start in life by being bilingual.
Im very hopeful that Stagecoach, as a national organisation, will be considering whether it wants to roll out the idea across Wales eventually. For now, though, we are in the vanguard helping to increase the use of Welsh.
Dance, drama and singing is all very much based around self-confidence and many of the pupils that come to us at a young age have that confidence in the Welsh language from using it at home or at nursery schools.
The skills they will be taught at the school will be just the same, but for those who want it we will now be able to do so through the medium of Welsh. We will, of course, also be continuing to hold a specifically English language early years class.
Thinking long-term, there are great opportunities out there in the arts and the media in Wales. Helping our pupils get the opportunity to read a script in Welsh, to work in Welsh TV and theatre is one of our key aims.
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen has its base at the Model Church in Wales School.
The school opened in May 2009 and became an instant success. The school now attracts students from the three counties of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
In recent years, Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen has staged the musicals Billy Elliot, Oliver and Annie.
Liane added: Our aim is always to nurture and develop four to 18-year-olds to fulfil their potential through dance, drama and singing.
Its not all about treading the boards on stage. Early stages classes focus on allowing the children to express themselves, while at the same time building up confidence, poise and self-esteem. Above all, we make sure the experience is fun! The children love it.
If you want to find out more about Stagecoach Carmarthen, contact Principal Liane Davies, phone: 0845 604 1422. Email - carmarthen@stagecoach.co.uk.
Website - http://www.stagecoach.co.uk/carmarthen

The Welsh costume image is of Sam Bolton, a student at Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen.
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During the last 12 months, the Jenkins Bakery has been happy to support a number of charitable, sporting and community causes with donations, vouchers and buffet items.

In total, the Jenkins Bakery has gifted items worth than 2000.
Among the recipients have been
Llanelli Squash Club; Felinfoel Cricket Club; SA15 Stage Company; Cor Meibion Llanelli; the Ty Golau Lighthouse project; Doodles Events; Llannon hanging baskets; Music and Jazz at The Diplomat Hotel; Bwlch sports; Latch charity; Llanelli Wanderers RFC and the Llanelli Library Jobs Fair.
The bakery has received thank-you certificates from National Doughnut Week and Cancer Research UK.
The firm raised 1600 for Cancer Research UK through various fund-raising events.
The bakery raised 500 for The Children's Trust through National Doughnut Week 2012. Thanks go to all customers who supported the fund-raising.
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