Blogs
Many of you may be aware of the think-tank, the Institute of Welsh Affairs. Today I received my latest copy of Cambria Magazine, in which there is a leaflet for the IWA. I confess that I know nothing about it but it looks as though it might be worthwhile investigating and it has a worldwide membership. If anyone is interested the website is iwa.org.uk.
Hwyl
Gaynor
Its been quite a year for Carmarthen Town AFC, with plenty of changes in the backroom to go with a new-look team on the pitch.
The most notable of those changes has seen club stalwart Jeff Thomas retire from his stint as chairman.
Jeff has now also moved off the executive committee, but has pledged to continue some of the fund-raising work which proved so crucial during his 14 years as chairman.
His achievements in the chair are notable
- Welsh Cup: three Welsh Cup Finals, winning once
- League Cup Final twice winning once
- Consistently finishing in top six of League
- 10 European Cup appearances.
- Ground brought up to UEFA European standard with European games held at Richmond Park. Capacity of 2,500 including 1056 seats in their Grandstand
- State of the art Community Centre, completed at a cost of 400K incorporating Social Club, Match Hospitality Suites with conference facilities and meeting rooms available for hire.
- An innovative Carmarthen Town community programme backed by EMC Electrical Services and the ever-supportive Neil Alexander.
- A debt-free club, with a high level of credibility within Welsh football and the local community.
The chairmans role is now held by club secretary Gareth (GO) Jones.
And there will be further changes in the backroom when an extraordinary general meeting is held in the near future.
The purpose of this meeting will be to appoint two new club officials. The two posts are: President and Assistant Secretary.
Carmarthen Town executive committee vice chairman Robert Lloyd explained: Anthony Jenkins, who is well known throughout Carmarthen, has decided to stand down as club president. He has made a huge contribution to the success of Carmarthen Town and he will be greatly missed.
A busy solicitor, former Mayor of Carmarthen and Under Sheriff for Dyfed, Anthony leads a very hectic life and we will be ever-grateful for the contribution he has made in giving up his valuable time to support Carmarthen Town.
We will now seek nominations for a worthy successor to Anthony Jenkins as club president.
As we move into a new era, it is also important to recognise the workload placed on current chairman Gareth Jones and, with that in mind, we are also looking for an assistant secretary.
The date of the extraordinary meeting will be decided at the next Executive Committee.
Nominations should be in writing, with a proposer and seconder, and presented to the Secretary/Chairman. The meeting is open to Gold Members, Vice Presidents and season ticket holders.
If you wish to post your nomination, then please send to Gareth Jones,3 Meysydd y Coleg, Caerfyrddin, SA31 3GR
Carmarthen Town AFC fixtures for November 2010
Saturday, November 6 away at Goytre United, Welsh Cup Round Three, kick-off 2pm
Friday, November 12 - home to Port Talbot Town, 7.30pm.
Saturday, November 20 away at Bangor City, 2.30pm.
Saturday, November 27 home to The New Saints, 2.30pm.
For the match against Goytre, the bus for Glanhafod Park will leave the clubhouse at 11.30am. Contact Anthony Parnell for details 07989448629
The new clubhouse facilities at Richmond Park are proving very popular with community groups in and around Carmarthen.
We already have Slimming World, painting classes and knitting classes making use of the new facilities here at Richmond Park, said executive committee member Jeff Thomas.
The premises are fully air-conditioned and can seat 150 in comfort. There are extra meeting rooms and conference facilities. And a fully licensed bar!
If anyone is interested in hiring the clubhouse or any of the meeting rooms, then can ring the following
Steve Adams, 01646 651367, Mark Hannington, 07929 509539, Jeff Thomas, 07813 697774
The countdown has started for the 30th annual Carmarthen Mayors Fun Run.
And the landmark event will see one of the biggest changes in the races long history.
It is being moved from the Easter weekend to the May Day Bank Holiday on Monday, May 2.
The race is one of the highlights of the year in Carmarthen, Town Mayor Councillor Alan Speake said this week.
I would urge everyone, young and old, to consider taking part and making the event a great fun occasion for Carmarthen town.
Race organiser Noelwyn Daniel urged fun run competitors to make a note of the new race date in their diary.
It is a departure from the past, but we felt that moving the event would give more people a chance to take part in the event and we might even be guaranteed better weather in May!
Mr Daniel said: The event is recognised as a great occasion in Carmarthen. So, if you want to get into shape over the winter months ready for the big race day, then now is the time to start.
The next fun run will be the 30th, so we are expecting a bumper crowd of spectators, more runners and a very special landmark occasion.
Entry forms will be published in the Carmarthen Journal in the new year.
Mr Daniel said other changes to the race format would be announced over the next few weeks.
The 2010 races raised cash for four Carmarthen charities and organisations - 500 each for Awaydays, Womens Refuge, Bi-Polar Organisation and Towy Salmon Swimming Club.
Details of the 2011 charities will be released in the next few weeks.
The organisers of the Healing the Wounds Golden Grove Mansion Appeal have been bowled over by the response to a HTV Wales programme featuring their campaign.
It has made a huge difference to public awareness, said Kevin Richards, Director of Healing the Wounds, the appeal fund which aims to turn the famous Golden Grove Mansion in the Tywi Valley into a convalescent home for the Armed Forces.
The appeal is already being talked about within the local community, but the HTV Wales Sharp End programme took us to a whole new, national level, said Mr Richards.
The feedback to the programme has been tremendous. A lot of people out there are unaware of the difficulties our servicemen and servicewomen face when they return from the battlefields and when they try to rebuild their lives in the civilian community.
The programme presented the shock statistic (reported by the Howard League for Penal Reform) that as many as one in 10 of British soldiers who have fought overseas end up in jail after they leave the army.
That is a very shocking figure and illustrates the challenge that we face in making sure that the proper support and care is provided to people when they leave the services or return from the horrors of the battlefield.
Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Llwyd spoke very eloquently on the programme. He has been warning that the numbers of people ending up in jail and in trouble could be even higher in future as more troops return from battle.
They often suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and Mr Llwyd has been very vocal already in calling on the Government to fund a specialist treatment centre in Wales.
Mr Richards added: Our Healing the Wounds appeal would aim to create just such a centre at Gelli Aur Golden Grove Mansion and all we need is a total of 200,000 to kick-start the project and exchange contracts on a property which would be ideal as a convalescent centre.
As well as looking to treat post traumatic stress disorder, we would also be able to build in retraining programmes, where people leaving the armed forces can learn new skills, everything from being a plumber or a plasterer or an electrician.
The Sharp End programme has really helped focus the minds of the people of Wales that this is a worthy, much-needed project. Of crucial importance is the fact that we have a centre in Wales to treat and help the people of Wales.
Weblink to the Sharp End item presented by Lynn Courtney -<a href=" http://www.itv.com/wales/sharp-end32576 http://www.itv.com/wales/sharp-end32576">http://www.itv.com/wales/sharp-end32576</a>.
Weblink to the Healing the Wounds website - <a href=" http://www.occasionsdvd.co.uk/index.php">http://www.occasionsdvd.co.uk/index.php</a >
The Golden Grove Appeal (Healing the Wounds) has been launched for the purpose of raising the funds needed to enable the purchase of a suitable facility within Wales for the treatment of our Armed Forces Personnel, Veterans and their families, who are suffering from stress related illnesses such as PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and to provide a convalescent home to allow them to heal and recover from the traumas of conflict.
Golden Grove Mansion has become available for purchase with 100 acres of Country Park, which would provide a peaceful and beautiful environment that would be the perfect place for recovery.
However, if the sale of the property does not materialise, Healing the Wounds charity will continue to raise the funds needed for the purpose of searching for an alternative suitable property to facilitate treatments and convalescence for our Armed Forces Personnel, Veterans and their families.
This is and shall always remain the prime objective of the charity
Golden Grove Mansion was actually used as a hospital for American troops during the Second World War. It was first built in 1560 as the seat of the Vaughan family, descendants of the Princes of Powys. Two hundred years ago it passed to Lord Cawdor and the present mansion was built in 1834. In later years it housed an agricultural college, but is now empty. There are more than 150 rooms and the basic structure is sound. It is a grade II* listed building within a 100 acre conservation area and the grounds include a wooded Country Park, a visitor centre and cafe.
The appeal is more than halfway towards its initial target of raising 200,000.
Donations can be made
By post
To make your donation by post, please send a cheque payable to Golden Grove Appeal, together with your name address and post code to enable us to claim gift aid, to Golden Grove Appeal, 22 Abbey Road, Kenfig Hill, Bridgend, CF33 6HF
Give in person at Barclays Bank
Call into any branch of Barclays and pay your donation into this account:
Golden Grove Mansion Appeal
Sort code: 20-84-41
Account number: 90516929
The radio star who runs the biggest Garden in Wales will be centre stage at Cor Meibion Llanellis annual Christmas concert.
Chris Needs is to compere the evening at Theatr Elli, Llanelli, on Saturday, December 18.
Its a major coup for Cor Meibion Llanelli, said choir secretary Fred Elias.
Chris Needs is in great demand as a performer, particularly over the Christmas period. But he was delighted to seize the opportunity of sharing a stage with Cor Meibion Llanelli.
And I am sure the army of people who follow his radio show will be equally delighted to seize the chance of seeing a real hero of Radio Wales here in Llanelli.
The weeknight Chris Needs show goes out in Radio Wales between 10pm and 1am. One of the key features of the show is the Garden, an on-air club of listeners.
Chris was born in Cwmafan near Port Talbot in 1954. Before joining Radio Wales, he was a star presenter for six years for independent Welsh radio. He built up a large and loyal following with his cheerful one-to-one style. In 1996's Radio 'Oscars' he won the coveted Sony Silver Award for Best Regional Presenter. Chris joined Radio Wales along with a host of other new presenters in August 1996, as part of a revamp of the schedules. He began by co-presenting the mid-morning magazine programme, Live Time, and an edition of the afternoon phone-in show, The Network.
Chris now hosts his own brand of late night music and chat. Every member of the Chris Needs Garden has a membership number. Anyone can join and signing up means you'll receive a starter pack, badge and goody bag.
In 2005, Chris Needs was awarded the MBE. On 22 June 2005, he collected this award from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Some of the Garden Club members were even there with him to celebrate his momentous day.
The Cor Meibion Llanelli concert starts at Theatr Elli, Llanelli, at 7pm on Saturday, December 18. Tickets are now available at the Theatr Elli Box Office and the advice is to book early to avoid disappointment. Tickets: 8 Contact -Theatr Elli, Station Road, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA15 1AH, Tel: 0845 2263510 E-mail: theatres@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
For more information, see Cor Meibion Llanellis website on www.llanellimalechoir.co.uk
Other weblinks http://www.chrisneedsmbe.co.uk
Carmarthen Town AFC fixtures for November 2010
Saturday, November 6 away at Goytre United, Welsh Cup Round Three, kick-off 2pm Friday, November 12 - home to Port Talbot Town, 7.30pm. Saturday, November 20 away at Bangor City, 2.30pm. Saturday, November 27 home to The New Saints, 2.30pm.
The Terry Griffiths Matchroom in Llanelli will be holding the annual Lads and Dads snooker tournament on Sunday, December 19.
The entry fee is 4 per pair. You must be paid-up Matchroom members to enter.
The loser pays for the table.
There is a Plate tournament (with prizes) for first round losers.
Lads or dads can be joined by mothers and daughters, uncles and nephews, grandfathers and grandmothers. The rule is you must be related and from different generations!
The closing date for entries is Thursday, December 16.
Llanelli Rotary Club is staging a charity fund-raising amateur boxing dinner show at Parc y Scarlets on Friday, November 5.
Trostre Boxing Club are staging the show on behalf of Llanelli Rotarys HARK (Hearing Assessment Research Klinic) Appeal for Ghana in Africa.
The evening will feature eight bouts of amateur boxing with boxers drawn from various clubs in Wales. Also included is a three course dinner in the Canolfan Delme Thomas (Delme Thomas centre) at Parc-y-Scarlets.
Rotary Club president Melanie Carroll-Cliffe said a previous boxing dinner show organised in conjunction with the Trostre club had been a huge success.
She added: We have a wonderful venue for the event at Parc y Scarlets and it promises to be an excellent evening, with plenty of sporting action, good food and good company. And it is all in aid of a worthy cause an international project being organised by Llanelli Rotary Club to help a deprived area of Africa.
Also, ladies take note. Dont let the guys fool you into thinking this is a men only function. This is a mixed occasion which the ladies will also enjoy.
Tickets are 30, or you can order a table for 10 at 300.
For tickets and further information contact Anthony Jones, at TAD Builders Ltd, telephone 01554 752884 or 07970 022761
