News

Mayor's Blog - Cllr Charlotte Leadbeater
14th May to 28th October 2009 (updated 18th November 2009)

His Royal Highness, Prince Charles’ visit to Llandeilo Civic Hall - October 2009

On Friday 23rd October His Royal Highness, Prince Charles paid a visit to the Country Market, held every Friday in the Civic Hall, Llandeilo. Here he came to meet representatives of Transition Town Llandeilo, Cymdeithas y Dalar Allotment Group, Heart of Wales and other organisations, whose exhibitions he also visited. Dignitaries were ready to greet him as he arrived, including our own Mayor of Llandeilo, Charlotte Leadbeater (pictured below). Prince Charles chatted to stall holders and customers alike as he wandered around the market stalls, clearly impressed by the range of local produce and crafts on offer. Soon he had to leave for his next appointment but not before congratulating the Country Market team on their work and making a few choice purchases from the cake stall himself.

‘Open Doors’ Event – Llandeilo - September 2009

Llandeilo’s Nonconformist chapels have contributed greatly to the social as well as the religious life of the town. Their striking architecture and internal design are major features of the town’s historic architecture. All this was celebrated by Llandeilo and District Civic Trust and Llandeilo Fawr Town Council in a joint venture on Saturday 26th September 2009 as part of the Civic Trust Wales ‘Open Doors’ scheme.

In the morning Scott Lloyd of the Royal Commission of Historic and Ancient Monuments Wales, gave an illustrated lecture on the work of Thomas Thomas in the Shire Hall, Carmarthen Street, Llandeilo.

Born in Golden Grove, Thomas Thomas became a leading 19th century preacher but also an architect of over 100 Welsh chapels. After the lecture Scott spent time assisting members of the public in accessing the Commission’s National Computer Data Base of Welsh Chapels.

In the afternoon town councillors and members of the Civic trust took a series of guided parties on a trail around the town that included entry into Capel Newydd, Ebenezer and the former Horeb chapel (pictured below). The tours were accompanied by a commentary on the history, architecture and social contribution of Non-conformity to Llandeilo.

Finally may Llandeilo Town Council and the Llandeilo and District Civic Trust thank those individuals and chapel members who by opening up their buildings made this informative and enjoyable day possible.

Jazz in the Park - September 19th 2009

For a few hours during the early evening of Saturday 19th September, over 200 people enjoyed the sounds of the Memphis 7 Jazz Band in the beautiful surroundings of Penlan Park, Llandeilo. The Mayor was on hand to greet every person individually and it was the unanimous opinion of all who attended that it was a great success and that more concerts would be warmly welcomed. Special thanks go to all the team who helped organise the event.

Village of the Year Competition

Llandeilo is through to the final round of the Calor Village of the Year competition for the Mid and West Wales region. Judges will be visiting Llandeilo in early July to see for themselves why this is a special place to live and work. Town Councillors Ros Bellamy and Fran Murphy are looking forward to the chance to show off their community. “We are thrilled to get this far,” they said, “as this is the first time Llandeilo has entered the competition. It’s a wonderful place with a marvellous community spirit and excellent quality of life, so it will be great for Llandeilo to gain national recognition.” The judges are looking at four categories – community, business, sustainability and communications, and they want to see how Llandeilo has met any challenges through the community working together. Llandeilo is competing against Llanwrtyd Wells and Knighton for the regional prize of £2000 and the chance to get through to the all-Wales final. Sponsored by Calor, the competition is also supported by many organisations including the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales and One Voice Wales.

Revels in the Park - Penlan Park 20th June 2009
Quote from County Councillor Ieuan Jones from a song which the schoolchildren used to sing:

‘Slowly the evening sun is setting
O'er the banks of Penlan Park
Showing all the land with beauty
O'er Llandeilo and Ffairfach’

This was a great day-out in Llandeilo, enjoying the flags, sampling the goods and shop fronts and taking part in our ‘Revels in the Park’ on Midsummer Eve Saturday June 20th and the weather held!!

This magical, free event started with storytelling for children in the centre of Llandeilo by John Bilsborough in the special story-telling chair made by Jonathan Garrard. This was followed by a Grand Parade from King Street, led by Llandovery’s Town Cryer Joe Beard and wife Sandra, brave civic dignatories and children in amazing medieval costumes with Guy Smith juggling skillfully for us prior to his circus skills workshop.

Burry Port Silver Band were blowing well and giving wonderful substance to the event. All the town shop keepers that came out to cheer and lend their support.

‘Revels’ was opened by Elinor Jones, the well known S4C presenter, who came up with some hilarious quotes about the first party in the park from the late Lord Dynevor.

She awarded the prizes for the best medieval costumes – 1st prize, Elves & Fairies, Bizzy Bees; 2nd prize, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Guides and Brownies; 3rd prize, Horses and Riders, Morgan Williams and Llewellyn Davies.

Individual prize - Fion Davies looking lovely in crimson wimple and red dress.

The window competition was won by ‘In Stitches’ run by Ann Loynton and Ailsa Proctor who had wrought their usual magic by knitting a mouse army, complete with castle. Reepicheep rides again!

In Penlan Park there was a free climbing wall and circus skills workshop; Llandeilo Town Council put on a display of 150 years of town history; the St Teilo Singers and Cor Sain Teilo choirs performed beautifully in English and Welsh, led by Richard Whitehead and Owain Gruffydd; the Llandeilo CP School Samba Band electrified the audience; and there was a ballet performance, sublimely danced by the Moya Vahey School of Classical Ballet from Cowbridge. This is the first time that ballet has been performed here in the Park.

There were fairground rides and inflatables for all ages; the fortune-teller, telling runes (momentous happenings for the deputy mayor!) as well as delicious Tenovus cream teas, ice creams and stalls for Civic Organisations to raise their profiles.

The bucket collection by Tre-gib School pupils for the Mayor’s Charities raised over £130.

Other stalls were raising between £60 and £70 for charities.

This park event was supported and sponsored by Carmarthenshire County Council and Llandeilo Town Council and the Mayor of Llandeilo, Charlotte Leadbeater wishes to thank Huw Parsons, Sian Evans and their staff, and Town Councillors and staff for a most memorable collaboration, especially Edward Thomas and Peter Emms for MC-ing and Elinor for opening it!

Thanks also go to St John’s Ambulance and the inflatable doll!, Nigel Williams for the printing of posters and flyers, the Civic Hall for chairs and tables and Fortune Teller; Captain Pugwash of RLNI! and Andrew Evans for the generator.

Thanks to G Hughes for these photographs, and you can see more on the website http://www.photoboxgallery.com/3003036 where you can order copies.

The Mayoral Dinner
The Mayoral Dinner at the Cawdor Hotel was attended by 115 people comprising distinguished guests, speaker William Wilkins CBE, and his wife Lynne, County Coucillor Tysul Evans and his Consort Delyth Dunsford, the Mayor Charlotte Leadbeater and Consort Tim ap Hywel, fellow Councillor, outgoing Mayor Edward Thomas, Town Clerk Roger Phillips and wife Miriam, family, Demian, Lucy, Emily, Rhiwallon, and Thomas, friends, Grand Theatre manager Gary Iles and wife Mary, Nigel Lowson, Deputy Head of Worcester Grammar School and his wife Gilly, the mayors of Llandovery,Ammanford and Glanaman town organisations.

Mary Evans our harpist from the choir, The St Teilo Singers played beautifully while we had our sparkling wine before the meal. Pinc and Susan Morgan-Jones had done the flowers, Nigel Thomas printers, the lovely pink menus – filled in most ably by outgoing Mayor Cllr Edward Thomas and Deputy Mayor Cllr Chris Parish.

There was a lovely atmosphere and photos had been taken of the previous Mayors and family and friends of the incoming Mayor Cllr Charlotte Leadbeater and her husband Tim ap Hywel.

Toasts were given to the town, guests, fellow councillors, and her Majesty the Queen, by Roger Phillips, our Town Clerk, Councillors Ieuan Gwyn and Colin Jenkins.

William Wilkins CBE made a marvellous speech saying he had ‘come home’ to his home town, and was delighted to have a mayor as an artist. He spoke about the regeneration of Llandeilo, the Civic Hall, the culture in Llandeilo, of the Eisteddfod, of ‘Swansea’s Ballet Russe’, taking ballet nationwide, the festivals of Music and Flowers, and the Senses. He praised the Town for having raised so much money for Charity - £23,700 this year for Tenovus, and the Town Council for their hard work and the new noticeboards on Llandeilo’s history.

The mayor thanked him warmly and gave her speech, congratulating him on his latest global arts project, now in it’s fourth year Artes Mundi, in Cardiff and gave her speech.

Also she gave the details of our next big event – the ‘Revels in the Park’ on Saturday June 20th.

The staff and cooks at the Cawdor Hotel provided a lovely meal for everyone, brought swiftly and with efficient service. The mayor is enjoying her duties and hopes to serve the Town and Fellow Councillors to the best of her ability. She thanks everyone for all the lovely cards and messages.
Cllr Charlotte Leadbeater

Mayor's Blog - Cllr Edward Thomas
May 2008 to May 2009

Cymdeithas Y Dalar – The Allotment Society
On the 22nd of February 2009 Cymdeithas y Dalar organised an exhibition in Llandeilo Civic Hall entitled Allotments: Past, Present and Future - Rhandiroedd: Gorffennol, Presennol a’r Dyfodol. After guest speeches by representatives from the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, City Farms and the National Trust, the exhibition was officially opened by Edward Thomas, the Mayor of Llandeilo by symbolically cutting a piece of red tape. The exhibition was well attended and among the visitors were all three local primary schools. The society will soon be starting work on the new allotments at Dinefwr Home Farm and the Town Council feels sure the venture will be a great success.

Mayor Edward Thomas opening the exhibition at the Civic Hall

November 2008
Diabetic Walk and Tea

We all had a lovely day, and raised £3,019 in the process. Many, many thanks to all the walkers who came from as far as Swansea, including Julie Oaten, our own diabetic nurse from Llandeilo, and to Llandeilo Town Council and the Civic Hall for sponsoring this walk. Our wonderful committee walked too, as well as doing months of work.

Prayers for a rain free walk had been answered! Geoff Williams from the Ramblers had done stirling work putting up signs, doing risk assessments and getting the walkers organised with his stewards both from the Ramblers, Rotary and Round Table, so many thanks to all of them and their organisations. Cllr Roy Davies entertained us with pithy and interesting talks on the making of Dinefwr Park. Jones International bus very kindly took the less able walkers to the Civic Hall to do the table flowers with Susan Morgan Jones who had done a massive amount of work on the committee with Popty Bach y Wlad, CK & Co-op for sponsorship, food and water.

Many thanks to Alan Stevenson and Bethan Williams from St Johns Ambulance who were actively on hand to see there were no accidents. The rest of us enjoyed our walk through the beautiful Dinefwr Park with its ‘keyhole views’ and thence past ancient Llandyfeisant church and through castle woods with Ken Day wonderfully photographing the occasion. Thank you to the Woodland Trust and the National Trust for their co-operation.

Community policeman Rob Smith, on hand entering Bridge Street enjoyed his ‘operatic’ experience in the Civic Hall, Puccini arias beautifully sung by world famous tenor and artist Andrew Douglas Forbes and well accompanied by Gerald Jones on the keyboard kindly lent by St Teilo’s Church.

Julia Jones and Liz Godber had publicised the event well and we had 55 walkers and 48 people for a very substantial tea by Enfys of Popty Bach, including fruit and low fat cakes and a variety of sandwiches, pancakes. Low sugar jam was supplied by Barita’s. Raffle prizes had been kindly donated by Peppercorn, Heel Appeal, and members of the comittee. Janet Thomas the senior NHS diabetic nurse from Glangwili gave us a very good presentation on the dangers of diabetes, and some excellent advice. Wales has the highest rate of diabetes in Britain which is a bit worrying!

Finally many many thanks to Lee Calladine of the Diabetic Research and Wellness Foundation, without whose leaflets, calendars, advice and encouragement this would not have happened, also to Diabetes Cymru for sending encouragement, forms and waterproof ponchos.

Anyone wanting to support this cause can do so on line at www.justgiving.com/charlotteleadbeater or ring Cllr. Charlotte Leadbeater on 01558 822045.

September 2008
World Sheepdog Trials at Dinefwr Park

The World Sheepdog Trials (www.worldsheepdogtrials.org/new/index.php) held at Dinefwr Park were very successful, with the weather improving daily and thousands of people enjoying the event.
On a very wet Wednesday evening a large crowd turned out to greet the Welcome Parade with the band of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (www.royalwelshband.com), Siencyn the goat, and lancers on horseback leading the competitors with their sheepdogs.
Flags of all nations were put up on Rhosmaen Street and children from the local schools were encouraged to make small flags to wave at the parade.
Llandeilo Town Council provided a Buffet Reception for competitors in the Civic Hall. The Mayor welcomed the guests and presented commemorative Town plates to a representative of every country.
All the competitors and organisers were delighted with the warmth of their welcome to Llandeilo. Many visitors enjoyed the Food and Country Fair, with plenty of good food and high quality articles on sale from local businesses.
The crowning achievement was that the Welsh team won overall and Aled Owen became the World Champion for the next 3 years.

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