The Goldwings members received a warm welcome during their club weekend in Llandeilo, and were grateful
for the Town Council sponsorship. Many local businesses enjoyed their custom during the weekend, including
the Rugby Club where they camped.
Mayor Julia Jones enjoys a ride on a Goldwings motorbike
Deputy Mayor Dawn Wallace enjoys a Goldwings experience
Party in the Park 2011
In spite of a few showers, Llandeilo folk enjoyed an afternoon party in Penlan Park for
the 4th year running. Entertainment from California Dreamin’, Ferryside Jazz Band and Llandeilo
CP School Samba Band was excellent. Circus Dayze provided circus skills, there were funfair rides, games,
face-painting and charity stalls. The cream teas in the marquee were welcome for those sheltering from
the rain. Members of Goldwing Clubs brought along their glossy bikes and trikes to show off, in a taste
of what’s to come with their big event in August.
The party is organised and funded by Llandeilo Town Council, with permission from Carmarthenshire
County Council, owners of the park. Thanks to Gerwyn Thomas of CCC for the flower baskets. Sponsorship
from Terry Davies Plumber and Lawrence Scaffolding paid for the publicity fliers and staging. Thanks also
to Gary Thomas for the PA system, St Johns for First Aid support and to all the organisations who took
part. We’d like to see more joining in next year – rain will not stop us!
Ros Bellamy
Click on the Start button below to view a slideshow of the day's events.
French Revolution comes to Dinefwr Park!
The courtyard of Newton House on a sunny evening in early June proved a wonderful venue
for a musical production of “The Scarlet Pimpernel”. Final year drama students from Trinity
St David’s put on an excellent show for 3 nights at half term week, with thanks to the National
Trust. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the experience, enhanced by French cheese and wine during the interval.
Deputy Mayor Dawn Wallace, Councillors Richard Wallace and Ros Bellamy were delighted that they’d
seen the final night show, with a plot twist bringing in a local link to Dinefwr.
“They seek him here, they seek him there… the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel”
Llandeilo welcomes steam!
Steam excursion trains come through Llandeilo at times during the summer, and usually if you blink you’ll
miss it! But on 12 May word quickly got around that a “special” was arriving that evening,
and staying long enough to take on water. Sure enough, soon after 8pm the double-engine train “The
Cathedrals Explorer” puffed in. The fire tender got busy and photographers appeared from nowhere
to surround the beast. Engine drivers had a snack while young and old took the chance to climb on the
footplate and feel the heat! Passengers explained that their trip had started a week earlier in Canterbury,
taken them via York up to Scotland and then down the west via Chester – but they hadn’t seen
anything like the warm welcome they received here in Llandeilo. Just don’t ask how much the trip
cost!
Ros Bellamy
The Cathedrals Explorer
Front Engine
The train arrives
In the cab
The double engine taking on water
Llandeilo Civic Hall Open Day
Llandeilo Civic Hall held an Open Day on 30 October, giving local organisations the opportunity
to promote their activities to a wider audience. The Mayor, Councillor Chris Parish, opened the event
and stayed throughout the day to talk to local residents. Councillors Edward Thomas, Roy Davies and Ros
Bellamy helped out in staffing the Town Council stall.
Councillor Charlotte Leadbeater, one of the Civic Hall trustees, said the event was a great success in
showing off the hall's facilities such as the film screen. She said "The hall is very well used by
the whole community. We hope this event will attract more volunteers to help, especially to manage the
finances."
This seemed to be a great success. It was
a good example of four organisations working together who
had not met before. Each group were allocated certain tasks
in the areas they knew well and came together on the day to
the refurbished Llandeilo Civic Hall with their helpers and
food. The new foyer was particularly inviting with it’s
Pedestal of flowers.
The day was fun with jollity, and decorating
the tables with flowers, mats, bottles, pens and helium balloons,
even though Eirwyn Humphies, who is our wonderful caretaker
had to remove builder’s rubble & oversee the electrics
the evening before!
The organisations of Llandeilo Town Council;
the Royal National Lifeboat Institution; Llandeilo British
Heart Foundation;and the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation
came with their friends and supporters in great style. Deputy
Mayor Cllr Chris Parish ran the bar with Henry Lloyd, the
Tre-gib 6th form musicians played a fantastic saxaphone sextet,
also drums, piano & oboes, and made a brilliant job of
waiting tables. The Memphis 7 who looked like most of us –
grey haired, but playing just as well as they did in the 60’s
with wonderful sensitivity to the mood and sequences of the
evening.
The Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council
Tyssul Evans and Consort Delyth Dunsmore, and the Mayor and
Consort of Glanamman Carl and Elaine Morgan attended too so
many thanks for the presence of our colleagues.
The auction went well raising £750
, so many thanks to David Cowdry, the Cawdor Hotel, Swansea
Grand Theatre and Sensations for their items, and Cllr Edward
Thomas for doing such a brilliant job of Auctioneer. The Raffle
raised £447.70 so many thanks to all the diners who
gave so generously and the shops and individuals who donated
prizes, Peppercorn, Blodau Teilo, In Stitches, and Steil.
The three course supper was lovely, and
plenty of it, delicious, as all home made by the Charities,
so many thanks for all their hard work to Catherine Horne,
Janet Williams, Susan Morgan Jones, Tim Leadbeater, Graham
Evans & Lorna Rideout. There were lovely wines and soft
drinks to go with the food too.
It was marvellous to see so many people dancing afterwards
in their hats and masks and a great buzz everywhere. I have
not heard a bad word about it, nor have the others so thank
you my town for being so supportive and lovely, and for all
the private donations that have come in too
We have raised £3,300 for Charity,
which is £1,100 per charity, with donations still coming
in.
Your proud Mayor and Consort Cllr Charlotte Leadbeater &
Tim Leadbeater.
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.
Prince Charles arrives at the Civic Hall to be greeted
by Llandeilo Mayor Charlotte Leadbeater
Chatting with stallholders and customers in the Country
Market
‘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.
The Memphis 7 Jazz Band playing in the bandstand at
Penlan Park
Enjoying the last of the day’s sunshine whilst
listening to the Memphis 7 Jazz Band
Mayor Charlotte Leadbeater and husband Tim
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.
Storyteller
Parade Start
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!
The Parade
Fancy Dress Prize
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.
Samba Band
Cor Saint Teilo
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.
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
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.
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.
