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Pembrey golf professional Martin Stimson is celebrating five years as the Pro at the Ashburnham Championship Links golf course.
It a marvellous course and one which makes it a pleasure coming to work every day, said the 45-year-old.
Stimson has known the course as man and boy, being born in Pembrey and a former pupil of Glan-y-Mor School in Burry Port.
I originally came here during the time Richard Player was here in the 1980s. I trained under Robert Ryder for five years.
I went back into engineering work for a while, but then turned Pro when I was 30.
I spent some time at Milford Haven, but then came back here as Pro in 2007.
Ive known some of the members since I was a boy and they are a great crowd.
Stimsons work as club Pro involves a number of duties.
I run the club shop and, of course, I am available for lessons.
We run a service centre for power caddies, we hire out buggies and we look after all sorts of repairs.
The focus is always on looking after club members and making sure that the Ashburnham experience is one that they appreciate and enjoy.
Stimson also takes part in competitions.
As a PGA member, I compete on the west region circuit and try to qualify for The Open.
Stimson is particularly pleased with the efforts being made at The Ash to develop junior talent.
Nia Greville, Elliot Anderson and Bobby Phillips are all great youngsters coming through the system here at The Ash.
We have a good batch of 13-14 year-olds coming through, which will be the next generation of golfers here at The Ashburnham. Ive even got my son into playing the game!
The Ashburnham remains Stimsons favourite course, but, when pressed, he will admit that he also admires St Enedoc in Cornwall.
He rates the Woodhall Spa course in Lincoln as the most challenging course he has played.
Stimson added: As far as The Ash is concerned, my favourite thing is the challenge it provides and the stunning location. Ive been playing it since I was 14 and still find it provides a fresh challenge every day.
From my perspective, the most demanding hole on the course is the 6th, a challenging par 3. Its probably on the list of most challenging holes for members as well.
You can contact Martin Stimson by email at pro@ashgolf.co.uk
The Ashburnham Golf Club will host a number of top events over the coming years
2012 Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Championships
2013 Mens Welsh Amateur Championships
2014 Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championships
2015 Mens Welsh Stroke Play Championships
The Ashburnham is the course where the great Welshman and winning Ryder Cup Captain Dai Rees won the PGA title in 1959. It has long been regarded as one of the best links courses in Britain.
The Ashburnham takes its name from the 5th Earl of Ashburnham, who once owned the land and became the clubs inaugural President in 1894.
Two other Ryder Cup Captains have been successful in their playing careers at The Ashburnham in the shape of Bernard Gallacher, who won the Schweppes PGA Championship in 1969, and Sam Torrance, who won the Martini Tournament in 1976.
The Ashburnham has a proud history of hosting many of the major amateur tournaments, having first held a Welsh Amateur Championship in 1904.
Last year, The Ashburnham was the venue for the Mens Home Internationals.
For further information about The Ashburnham Golf Club, contact -
The Clubhouse, Cliffe Terrace, Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, SA16 0HN
Tel:01554 832269
Fax:01554 836974
Email:admin@ashgolf.co.uk
Website - http://www.ashburnhamgolfclub.co.uk
The legal team at Redkite has beaten off stiff competition to win the right to represent the new legal super brand called QualitySolicitors in Camarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
Redkite will now be rebranded as QualitySolicitors Redkite.
The name changes, but we remain your local solicitors for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, said QualitySolicitors Redkite managing partner Luke Smith.
Our very strong identity, with staff who care passionately about the community and the people of West Wales, stays very firmly in place.
But the new branding will give us benefits throughout the region by being part of the biggest new brand in the legal market in the UK.
QualitySolicitors is expanding fast to becoming a household name, with strong media and television campaigns.
The game changing group now has 220 branches across the UK and has ambitions to be present in every major UK town and city.
We are extremely proud that Redkite has been chosen and even more so because it is our clients feedback that was a major contributor to us being chosen.
Its fantastic news for us and also for the local area, which will benefit hugely from having a QualitySolicitors firm providing legal services throughout the region.
Mr Smith said: Our customers will appreciate that this branding change does not alter the way we do business with them.
We remain the same team of friendly and professional staff. Existing relationships and continuing services, such as will storage, remain the same. The Redkite office infrastructure remains the same.
Mr Smith added: We still hold our core values of providing that personal service to our customers. We are able to offer specialist advice across a wide range of legal disciplines at very competitive rates. You can always be sure of receiving advice you can really trust and, of course, many of our partners and staff members are familiar faces to the people of South West Wales.
The QualitySolicitors expansion comes as the legal market continues to undergo massive changes.
These changes, dubbed Tesco law, allow banks and retailers to provide legal services for the first time a move likely to have a dramatic impact on independent law firms.
To stay ahead of the competition, QualitySolicitors firms are required to commit to providing the highest levels of customer service, including a free first consultation and a same day response service..
The Chief Executive of QualitySolicitors, Craig Holt, said: We will ensure using QualitySolicitors is as familiar and easy as dropping in at your bank or local opticians and we are working hard with our partner firms to transform the service we provide to customers and to make legal services accessible to everyone in a friendly and relaxed environment.
Customers of QualitySolicitors can find out about legal services by contacting their local branch, or by visiting our website.
A recent legal survey has shown that 60% of consumers say they would be tempted to try a new service provider when asked about future legal needs.
Mr Holt said: By providing a recognised and trusted brand name, we will end the need for the time consuming and often stressful task of having to choose between lots of different local firms.
QualitySolicitors has committed to invest substantial amounts to build its distinctive pink and black identity and promote the legal brand.
The history of Redkite
Redkite was established in 2011 through the merger of two long-established law firms in South West Wales Lowless & Lowless and Morris Roberts.
Lowless & Lowless was formed in 1898 and, since its centenary year, saw significant expansion which included the acquisition of a number of practices including Paul Settatree & Co, Walter Williams Solicitors and Rogers-Haggar.
Morris Roberts was formed on the 1st of April 1999 following the merger of two established Carmarthen firms, Morris Lloyd and J C Williams and Roberts.
The team at QualitySolicitors Redkite can be contacted on 01267 239000 and 01437 763332 or through the website at www.redkitelaw.co.uk
The firm has 15 partners and a total headcount of 120, with seven offices spread across Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.
Find us on Facebook at Redkite Law.
Find us on Twitter - @RedkiteLaw
QualitySolicitors
QualitySolicitors was launched in 2009 by Craig Holt and Saleem Arif.
Palamon Capital Partners, a private equity firm with a 700m fund, invested in QualitySolicitors in 2011.
Combined group turnover is already 250m, giving QualitySolicitors the largest market share.
QualitySolicitors has legal access points in over 160 high street WHSmith stores.
Web address www.qualitysolicitors.com
Twitter account @Qual_Solicitors.
Pictures: QualitySolicitors Red Kite staff pictured at a staff meeting. Also, managing partner Luke Smith.
Theres a new team at the helm at The Ashburnham Championship Links golf course in Pembrey.
The new club captain is structural engineer Mel Williams.
And the new ladies captain is Iris Jacob.
Mr Williams, 69, has been playing at The Ash for 53 years, since he was 16.
When I was brought up in Pembrey and most of the local boys in played golf as well as the traditional sports of rugby and cricket, Mr Williams said.
Im really looking forward to my year as club captain. The fellowship and the fun is great here and I am looking forward to all the competitions and activities planned for the year.
Ladies captain Mrs Jacob is a post office worker living in Pembrey.
She started playing golf in 1994.
She recalled: I started playing on the advice of a friend. Id just become a widow and she brought me down to The Ash to try the game. Ive made new friends and been given a new lease of life with a new circle of friends.
Mrs Jacob added: We have a wonderful course here at The Ash and a great community spirit in the club.
Picture: Mel Williams and Iris Jacobs, club captains at The Ashburnham Golf Club.
Award-winning South Wales architects the Lewis Partnership are celebrating winning a place on a UK-wide register which is designed to champion efficiency and best practice.
Constructionline is a partnership between the Government and Capita and is designed to deliver savings for both the public and private sector.
Constructionline isnt a name which is well known among the general public, but it is a real door-opener in business, said Lewis Partnership Managing Director Philip Lewis.
You have to meet key standards for a place on the Constructionline register and weve been successful in achieving Constructionline registration.
Constructionline is the UKs largest register for pre-qualified contractors and consultants.
At the heart of what they do is a national online database. In terms of efficiency, time and cost saving and best practice, Constructionline is proven to deliver for public and private sector organisations alike.
The service is recommended by the Governments Office Of Government Commerce (OGC) and the Local Government Task Force.
Mr Lewis added: We are delighted to secure a place on the Constructionline register and look forward to it paying dividends for us as a successful local business.
For suppliers to the construction industry, Constructionline means that they no longer need to repeatedly fill in standard pre-qualification forms for every construction tender.
Whats more, with 8,000 buyers already using the Constructionline database to source contractors and consultants, Constructionline is a great tool to market businesses.
All suppliers on Constructionline are pre-qualified to Government standards and maintain relationships with a range of industry, ePurchasing and Government partners to ensure that they remain relevant to procurement professionals within the construction industry.
By reducing duplication in the pre-qualification process, Constructionline helps both buyers and suppliers achieve savings in cost and time spent filling in forms.
Constructionline is a Public-Private Partnership between Capita (the UKs leading business process outsourcing (BPO) and professional services company) and the Department for Business Innovation & Skills.
Weblinks -
http://www.constructionline.co.uk
http://www.lewispartnership.co.uk/
On Facebook, search Lewis Partnership Ltd.
On Twitter, look for @Lewis_Architect
The Lewis Partnership of architects was founded in 1995 by partners of established architectural firms based in Llanelli, Carmarthen and Bridgend. The firm has a wide knowledge of the design and project management of a wide variety of building types, and draws on the experience of chartered architects and a complimentary technical and secretarial staff. Projects are prepared and completed using high-tech Autocad computer-aided design The company has gained accreditation to the International Quality Assurance Standard BS EN ISO 9001 : 2000. During 2007, the company gained RIBA Chartered status. The company is one of Carmarthenshire Councils preferred Architectural Practices in their Building Control Partnering Scheme.
The company is based at No13 Park Crescent, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA15 3AE.
Telephone 01554 777998.
The presentation was made at the launch of a Paul Harris Society for the South Wales District 1150 area of Rotary.
The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column is in the Carmarthen Journal today.
The latest Red Kite Law Business Brief column is in the Carmarthen Journal newspaper today.
Lovely picture story in the Evening Post about Jenkins the Bakers making Wales rugby biscuits ahead of the big Grand Slam crunch match!
Splendid story on page 9 of the Evening Post about Llanelli firm Morganstone's latest building award success - for The Mews, Port Talbot.
Splendid story in the Llanelli Star about Jon Tregenna's Buggerall play being featured at the Laugharne Festival.
Nice piece in the Llanelli Star today about Cor Meibion Llanelli performing with top tenor Wynne Evans at Parc y Scarlets on Friday night.
Llanelli Star puts the spotlight on construction firm Morganstone's latest award - for a project in Port Talbot.
Smashing picture story about the Healing The Wounds charity helping PTSD victim Darren Martin in the Llanelli Star today.
Jenkins the Bakers are doing their bit to add to the Wales rugby roar for the big Grand Slam match against France at the weekend.
The Llanelli-based business has produced patriotic Wales rugby biscuits to mark the event.
With the crunch game against France approaching, we wanted to do our bit to generate hwyl and passion and support for our rugby team, said Jenkins Bakerys Operations Director Russell Jenkins.
The biscuits are made using top quality ingredients a bit like the way Warren Gatland has mixed together a first class Welsh rugby side!
The biscuits are topped off with red sugar paste icing in the hope that red will be the colour of the winning team as we claim the Grand Slam.
Already, the biscuits are a great hit with fans.
They are a nice way of showing support for Wales in the workplace. You can enjoy your mid-morning mug of tea and coffee with a Wales rugby biscuit!
Mr Jenkins said the biscuits had already caught the eye of Llanelli Scarlets rugby players.
One of the Jenkins Bakery shops is in The Avenue in Llwynhendy, just a short training jog from the Parc y Scarlets rugby stadium.
Mr Jenkins added: We are very passionate about our rugby here in Wales and we thought this would be our way of showing our support for the rugby boys on their Grand Slam mission.
The Jenkins bakery employs 300 people, full and part-time, across 25 different stores in South Wales.
The company has the Gold Standard Welsh Food Hygiene Award and the Investors in People award.
The business employs 70 people at its Trostre HQ, while the Jenkins shop network stretches from Carmarthen to Bridgend. There are 13 shops in Carmarthenshire and even one as far afield as Powys.
Picture: Llanelli Scarlets rugby player Phil John pictured with the Jenkins Bakery Wales rugby biscuits and Jenkins Bakery Area Manager Fiona Snook at The Avenue shop in Llwynhendy.
Melin Consultants, the fast-growing South Wales firm of environment and sustainability experts, has expanded its operation into England.
The Llanelli-based company has opened a branch office in Bristol.
Its a move which puts us on the map nationwide, said Melin director Jamie Best.
We offer specialist technical services which are earning us a great reputation here in West Wales, but it is time to make our mark on the wider world east of Cardiff.
We are in the market to win contracts further up the M4 corridor and the Bristol office should put us in a position to do just that.
Mr Best said 2012 was shaping up to be an exciting year for Melin Consultants.
We have a team of eight based in Llanelli and now in Bristol, at Park House in Park Street.
We specialise in all the things which people value in the construction industry today getting environmental issues right and making sure buildings are as sustainable as possible.
We are right up there in the vanguard when it comes to technical expertise in this area.
Mr Best, 37, added: In building today, sustainability is high on everyones list of priorities as we have all come to appreciate the need to make sure everything is as environmentally sensitive as possible
Our client list includes a wide range of construction companies, architects and local authorities.
To mark the opening of the new Bristol office we will be offering clients free seminars and workshops on some of areas of technical expertise.
For example, we offer sophisticated air testing services, which is a way of testing for heating leakages and as good a way as you can get to ensure that a building has been built properly.
And we are experts in BREEAM, the worlds foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings. BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable building design.
Planning for the future is also very important to us here at Melin and we are members of CCTAL, the Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association.
We recognise that the future of the industry depends on investing in the skills of the engineers, technicians and experts of the future and we have been heavily involved with delivering sustainable construction courses in Carmarthenshire.
We are very proud to be a Carmarthenshire-based firm, employing Carmarthenshire people. We have high standards and are probably recognised as the biggest independent consultants in our field in South Wales.
Our expertise in sustainable building will now get a wider audience with our expansion into Bristol.
Weblinks:
http://www.melinconsultants.co.uk
Twitter: @melinconsult
Facebook: Melin Consultants Ltd
LinkedIn: Melin Consultants
Photo: Mel and Jamie Best, seated, with some members of the Melin team.
Melin Energy Consultants has been providing SAP & SBEM calculations for local authorities, architects, builders & developers over a number of years.
All Melin technicians have a wealth of experience in dealing with individual requirements.
The company motto is "10% calculation 90% solution".
As a building consultancy specialising in Part L of the Building Regulations and environmental assessing of new buildings, Melin technicians are qualified and accredited to issue certification in all the following fields BREEAM, Code for Sustainable Homes, EPC, SBEM, SAP, air-tightness testing.
The new Bristol office is at Park House, 10 Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5HX. Telephone 0845 0941279. Email: bristol@melinconsultants.co.uk
Llanelli office contact details: Melin, Llys Aur, Llanelli Gate, Dafen, Llanelli, SA14 8LQ Email: llanelli@melinconsultants.co.uk
t: 0845 094 1593
m: 07800 634804
e: jamie@melinconsultants.co.uk
