Mumbles lifeboat rescues surfer in trouble

Mumbles inshore lifeboat was launched Friday afternoon amid the stormy seas which have battered South Wales over the last few days. Following reports of a surfer in difficulty near Langland Bay just before sunset Swansea Coastguard requested the launch to a man seen drifting out to see by witness’s walking the cliffs.

This is just one of many calls the RNLI have received over the past few days following the strong winds and heavy rain which have had such a dramatic effect on the UK.

James Bolter who was at the helm of the inshore lifeboat said:

‘We experienced very rough seas and luckily the people who reported the surfer in danger directed us to him via Swansea Coastguard, he’d been caught by a very strong riptide off Langland which had rapidly taken him almost a mile offshore.’

Tim Conway, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager at The Mumbles says:

‘These are just the kind of conditions this boat was designed for and its crew trained for, the 28 yr old casualty had endured strong tides and suffered cramp in very big surf. Within minutes we were able to locate him and return him safely to the beach at Langland.'

The RNLI has set a £150,000 fundraising target over the next three years towards a new £2.7m Tamar class boat for Mumbles. The Tamar lifeboats are the most advanced vessels operated by the RNLI, providing all weather rescue capabilities and will replace the current Tyne class rescue boat that currently serves Mumbles. The new boat will carry an inshore lifeboat onboard in addition to the one located on station.

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Chuck Berry gig postponed until the spring

Chuck Berry fans will have to wait until the spring to see the rock and roll legend live in Swansea.

A gig that had been arranged for the Brangwyn Hall on Wednesday December 2 has now been postponed until March 2010.

Promoters of the Chuck Berry tour have announced similar postponements throughout the UK.

Tickets already purchased will be valid for the new gig but anybody who would like to have a refund can do so at their original point of purchase.

Details of the new concert date will be confirmed as soon as possible.

read more... “Chuck Berry gig postponed until the spring”

Online vote for favourite festive float

FESTIVE season fans are being asked to pick their favourite float from Swansea's Christmas Parade.

The Ishtah Belly Dancers, Mayhill Community Centre, the GSP Community Project and Swansea City Bravehearts were among those to take part in the event.

Over 26,000 people lined the streets between The Guildhall and The Dylan Thomas Centre to enjoy the Christmas Parade and the annual switch-on of the Christmas lights.

A prize of £1,000 is available to the most popular float thanks to The Wave and Swansea Sound.

Swansea Council will also give a £250 prize to the most popular walking procession.

Nigel Jones, Swansea Council's Strategic Events Manager, said: "It was wonderful to see so many people watching the parade and getting into the festive spirit.

"The community groups who take part in the parade each year put so much effort into their floats and walking processions and this really helps to boost seasonal atmosphere."

Some of the walking groups that took part were the Habibi Dancers, Interplay and Mentro Allan.

People can go to www.thewave.co.uk or www.swanseasound.co.uk until Friday December 4 to vote for their favourite.

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Christmas shopping gets a sparkle in Swansea

A fun event is taking place in Swansea city centre this weekend to boost seasonal spirits.

The Wave will be on hand outside the former Woolworth building on Lower Oxford Street between 10am and 2pm on Saturday, November 21, to help support independent traders in the area and promote the Love Your City campaign.

An outdoor broadcast will take place from a Christmas chalet to raise awareness of the Christmas Market on Oxford Street from November 27 to December 13. Stalls at the forthcoming market will include gifts such as Welsh fruit, wines and liqueurs, jewellery, personalised wooden art, scenic photography and attractive ornaments.

Children from the Mark Jermain Stage School will perform Christmas carols from noon to 2pm this Saturday. The opportunity to donate to the Ty Hafan Children's Hospice Appeal that's inviting people to place a star in celebration of someone special on the Light up a Life tree in Coffee Culture is also being made available.

A giant 20-foot air dancing Santa Claus and Snowman have been arranged to attract attention.

Swansea Council is behind the event.

Daniel Jones, Swansea City Centre Team Leader, said: "Excitement is starting to build as Christmas draws ever closer and this event is aimed at generating a festive atmosphere and attracting shoppers to a traditionally quieter part of the city centre.

"There are so many independent stores in the Lower Oxford Street, Plymouth Street and Nelson Street area that offer something that little bit different and this is vitally important because it helps Swansea city centre stand out from the crowd.

"I'd urge people to come and enjoy the entertainment and discover the shops in the vicinity at the same time."

Call 01792 476370 for more information.

read more... “Christmas shopping gets a sparkle in Swansea”

'For their sake' drive carefully call to parents in Swansea

Motorists are being targeted in a new safe driving campaign aimed at getting parents to drive more safely and set a good example to their children.

The 'For their sake' campaign includes posters which have gone up on the back of buses in Swansea and at bus shelters across the city highlighting bad habits committed by thousands of drivers every day.

Acts such as speeding, texting at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt are still common factors with drivers even though they are all illegal.

Swansea Council's Road Safety Team is hoping to reinforce the safety messages to motorists by highlighting the fact that often children sat in vehicles are watching what their parents are doing and are likely to copy them later in life.

Jeff Green, County Road Safety Officer in Swansea Council said, "Children sat in the rear of vehicles can easily see what is going on when parents are at the wheel. If they can see that the parents are speeding, texting or not even wearing a seatbelt, they may think its ok.

"Hopefully the 'For their sake' campaign will strike a chord with parents and make them more aware that their children pay attention to what they do and that they need to set a good example behind the wheel."

Backing the campaign, South Wales Police Road Safety Manager Wayne Tucker said, "It is clear that some people are still ignoring the fact that not wearing a seatbelt, driving while using a mobile or speeding could kill you.

"We are committed to reducing deaths on our roads and would urge everyone to drive responsibly and it is vital that parents set a good example."

read more... “'For their sake' drive carefully call to parents in Swansea”

Big screen continues big game success

Swansea city centre's super big screen is ready to kick-off another weekend of sport.

Wales face Rugby World Cup semi-finalists Argentina at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday November 21 at 2.30pm and those without tickets can watch it in Swansea.

The eagerly anticipated third game in the Welsh team's 2009 Autumn International series will be broadcast on Castle Square's BBC Big Screen.

Nigel Jones, Strategic Events Manager for Swansea Council, said: "Castle Square is proving to be very popular with residents as more and more footage is being shown on the BBC Big Screen.

"We all know what a great rugby nation Wales is and how passionate people are about the game. It's good to be able to see Wales play on the large screen with friends and family.

"It's also good to give supporters a great chance to enjoy watching Wales compete against some of the great rugby nations around the world."

Forthcoming Wales games being shown in Castle Square include:

• Wales v Argentina, Saturday 21 November (2 to 4.30pm)
• Wales v Australia, Saturday 28 November (5 to 7.30pm)

Go to www.enjoyswansea.com for other events taking place in the city.

read more... “Big screen continues big game success”

School and leisure centre to reopen

Swansea's YGG Bryn Tawe and Penlan Leisure Centre will be back open tomorrow (Friday November 20).

The facilities have been closed temporarily because of damage that strong winds caused to the leisure centre's roof on Tuesday evening.

Measures have now been put in place on site and both the school and leisure centre will be safe to use from tomorrow.

YGG Bryn Tawe will be open to pupils and staff for normal school hours and the leisure centre will be open from midday.

All facilities at the leisure centre will be available apart from the sports hall. Classes arranged at the sports hall will be relocated to the school's gymnasium where possible until further notice.

Subject to weather conditions, remedial works at the leisure centre will shortly begin and it's hoped they'll be complete within the next week.

Details of leisure centre class cancellations and relocations will be made available either on www.activeswansea.com or by calling 01792 588079.

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Youth Bank allocates £10k in first year

Swansea's Youth Bank branch has allocated close to £10,000 in funding since being set up one year ago.

Youth Bank distributes funds to young people aged between 11 and 25 who wish to set up projects for the benefit of the wider community.

The Swansea Neath Port Talbot Young Carers Project (Crossroads) is among the ten projects to have received funding since Swansea's Youth Bank branch was incepted last November. The group received £1,300 to run cookery classes and to make how-to-cook DVDs for other young carers.

The Buddies project and the African Community Centre are among the other groups to have been allocated funds.

Buddies- a group of young people who support other young people with disabilities as part of the Local Aid Charity- received £725 to plan, prepare and organise project days out such as a trip to St Fagans. The African Community Centre Youth Forum was successful in their application for £750 to to train in hip hop and African dance to use as a medium to promote their community centre in and around Swansea.

Over £650 was also awarded to the Young Swansea Artists for the planning and hosting of a young person's art exhibition in Swansea.

Swansea Youth Bank has been set up through a partnership between Swansea Council's Youth Service and Swansea Council for Voluntary Service (SCVS).

The panel of young grant givers in Swansea is made up of ten young people who come together to make decisions on which projects receive funding. Some of the ten have been involved since the inception of the local branch and helped to design application forms and to set funding criteria.

Funding so far has come from Swansea Council, Youth Bank UK and The Russell Commission.

Carol Green, Director of the Swansea Council for Voluntary Service, said: "This project provides a valuable opportunity for the leaders of the future to get first hand experience of how decisions and hard choices are made.

"Over the last year the Youth Bank has risen to the challenge and invested their time in learning skills that are vital to all our futures. SCVS is very proud to be supporting the Youth Bank Project."

Cllr Alan Robinson, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Community Regeneration, said: "Swansea's Youth Bank branch has been an outstanding success since its inception.

"The scheme empowers young people to make decisions on how money that's intended for them should be spent locally. Not only does the scheme benefit the groups who receive funding but it also equips the young decision-makers with skills that will prove invaluable in later life."

The Youth Bank is now assessing its next round of funding and this year received 22 applications from young people looking to set up their own projects.

Contact Felicitie for more information about Swansea Youth Bank on swanseayouthbank@scvs.org.uk or 01792 544030.

Have a look at www.scvs.org.uk for more information about the Swansea Council for Voluntary Service.

read more... “Youth Bank allocates £10k in first year”

National praise for city transport scheme

Bus passengers in Swansea could be getting one of the best services in the UK, according to UK transport officials.

The Landore Express Bus Route developed by Swansea Council and First's ftr Metro were runners-up in the Transport Infrastructure category at the annual UK Bus Awards.

They were selected from a record 210 entries from around the country and received their prizes before 650 industry professionals at a glittering ceremony at London's Hilton Hotel.

The UK Bus Awards Scheme is designed to recognise and reward excellence and good practice in a wide range of disciplines associated with the operation, design and promotion of bus services.

John Hague, Cabinet Member for the Environment in Swansea Council, said: "These awards are recognition that we are moving in the right direction in terms of improving public transport in Swansea.

"With assistance from the Welsh Assembly Transport Grant we have been able to work alongside transport operators in the city to introduce innovative public transport services that help us achieve our long term aims for a sustainable integrated transport system."

A spokesperson for First Cymru said: "First Cymru is delighted that the ftr Metro project has been recognised at the UK Bus Awards.

"The award recognises all the hard work and partnership working with Swansea Council that got this project off the ground."

UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen said he was delighted not only with the record breaking number of entries for 2009 but also the quality of those entries.

Mr Owen said: "Not only have we received a record 210 entries across the categories this year but we're also hugely impressed by the standards of all of the entries because they gave the judges a difficult time. It is thrilling to see such enthusiasm for the awards, particularly against such a harsh economic backdrop."

Visit www.ukbusawards.org.uk for more information about all the winners and runners-up at the 2009 UK Bus Awards.

read more... “National praise for city transport scheme”

Council Contact Centre helps more than 100,000 customers

More than 100,000 customers have visited Swansea Council's Contact Centre in the last year.

The innovative Civic Centre-based unit has transformed the way the Local Authority deals with the public.

The Contact Centre team assisted more than 10,300 customers in September alone and have now served almost 150,000 people since the opening in 2008.

And as the services it provides continues to increase it's hoped it will help even more people in the coming year.

The Contact Centre is based in the Civic Centre on Oystermouth Road and aims to ensure the public are advised and dealt with on a face-to-face basis both more easily and in as few visits as possible.

It is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Thursday, from 8.30am to 5pm on Fridays and from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

Staff are trained and have access to a wide range of resources to help people seeking advice on Council services.

They also handle residents' parking permits and disabled car badge applications and payments for various Council services such as Council Tax, rent and parking penalty charge notices outside of the normal business hours.

The Contact Centre additionally accepts student finance applications, taxi licensing forms for drivers and vehicles, bus pass applications and replacement applications, planning applications and passport to leisure applications.

And more services will be provided by Swansea Council through the Contact Centre in the year to come.

Despite the number of customers now using the Contact Centre more than 85 per cent are dealt with within 15 minutes.

The vast majority of queries are resolved by the Contact Centre team directly but they are also able to call on Council departments when further assistance is needed to deal with the customer's query or request.

Cllr Mary Jones, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member of Business, Improvement and Efficiency. said: "The Contact Centre continues to transform the way Swansea Council interacts with the public and I am delighted that more and more people are recognising how the team here can help them.

"With the Civic Centre now on bus rotes including the Swansea Metro the centre is even more accessible now than it was when it opened in 2007.

"We value the work that the Contact Centre team do in conjunction with services throughout the Local Authority."

Contact Swansea Development Manager Deborah Reed said: "Contact Centre staff have readily met the increased demand for their services.

"We are looking forward to the challenges ahead with customers always at the forefront of our minds."

read more... “Council Contact Centre helps more than 100,000 customers”

Ranger team up to five for Christmas rush

Swansea's City Centre Ranger team is up to five in time for the Christmas Rush.

James Harry and Damien Edgell have joined Matthew Bowen, Adrian McGrath and Alec Dubens in their role as the eyes and ears of the city centre.

The role of the City Centre Rangers includes customer service, referring troublemakers to the police and reporting problems such as broken paving, discarded rubbish, vandalism and graffiti.

They're also tasked with helping set up city centre events and ensuring they run smoothly.

The rangers cover a zone stretching to Westway and Dilwyn Street in the west and from Mansel Street to Alexandra Street and High Street in the north. They also work as far as the River Tawe to the east and to the coastline in the south. Additional areas of coverage include the Quadrant and Parc Tawe shopping centres.

James, age 30, is originally from Three Crosses on Gower. He has a lot of experience in security and was most recently a security officer at WH Smith in the Quadrant.

He said: "Among other things I hope to draw on my experience within the security sector to reduce street and retail crime in the city centre and to improve communication between businesses and the numerous partnership bodies that exist within the city.

"Building good relationships is fundamental to improving the city centre for businesses and customers alike. I'm also looking forward to the challenges that working day to day on the front line in a dynamic and diverse city centre can bring."

Damien Edgell, age 23, is from the Hafod area of the city and was previously a development worker with Funky Dragon- The Children and Young People's Assembly for Wales.

He said: "Having come from a youth work background I will be looking to use the skills I have gained in a positive way to engage with young people who come to the city centre."

Cllr Chris Holley, Swansea Council Leader, said: "It's important the visitor experience in Swansea city centre is as positive as possible and the team of City Centre Rangers helps to ensure the area is kept clean and safe.

"The team is a useful point of contact for any member of the public who has city centre related queries and questions and their assistance will prove invaluable to many people as we approach the busiest shopping period of the year."

Cllr Gareth Sullivan, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Economic and Strategic Development, said: "The City Centre Rangers provide an important link between shoppers, traders and the police and the city centre runs more smoothly because of them.

"They make a contribution to ongoing efforts to ensure Swansea city centre extends as warm a welcome as possible to all visitors."

Have a look at www.swanseacitycentre.com for more information about the city centre.

read more... “Ranger team up to five for Christmas rush”

ENGAGE scheme launches

Young people who are at risk of missing out on education and job opportunities are being supported by European funding.

12,000 young people from across South West Wales are to benefit from a £32.5million scheme to improve their chances of success.

The scheme, called 'ENGAGE', aims to target 14-19 year olds who are at risk of dropping out of formal education or training or are failing to achieve their full potential.

The scheme is led by Neath Port Talbot Council in partnership with Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire councils as well as six further education colleges across the region who will all provide match funding.

They are Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Gorseinon, Coleg Sir Gar, Pembrokeshire and Coleg Ceredigion.

Aimed at reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training, ENGAGE will provide complementary curriculums and innovative training approaches to motivate and boost the confidence of students who are experiencing problems learning.

Tailored to the needs of each individual, a range of techniques will be used such as vocational training, one to one intensive support and activities to raise self esteem to encourage them to remain in education and improve their skills.

Deputy Minister for Skills, John Griffiths, said, ""ENGAGE will help raise aspirations and increase participation rates in education, training and employment across South West Wales.

"It is an excellent example of partnership working with local authorities, schools and further education colleges delivering the very support young people need to remain or reengage with education.

"Equipping young people with new skills and confidence will lead to improved career opportunities and a quality workforce, bringing increased economic and social benefits to the region."

The scheme will also assist those who are not attending school or college by supporting them back into the education and it will also work with pupil referral units, care leavers and young offenders, providing additional learning support for those who are not in mainstream education.

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Ali Thomas, said, "I am excited by the opportunities that will be offered to our young people through the ENGAGE project. The project will provide them with the support they need to succeed. It is so important that we use this funding effectively to motivate learners and to improve their ability to secure rewarding and satisfying careers."

Photograph: Natasha Burgess joins John Griffiths to launch ENGAGE

read more... “ENGAGE scheme launches”

Temporary closure for Penlan Leisure Centre and Ysgol Bryntawe

Swansea's Penlan Leisure Centre has been temporarily closed because of roof damage caused by severe overnight weather.

Swansea Council officers are on site to investigate the damage and determine what remedial works need to take place.

The leisure centre is now closed to members of the public until further notice.

Neighbouring Ysgol Bryntawe will also be closed from noon today (Wednesday November 18) and tomorrow (Thursday November 19) as a precaution.

Leisure centre users and Active Swansea members can use other facilities such as Morriston Leisure Centre in the meantime.

Have a look at www.activeswansea.com for details of alternative Active Swansea community leisure centres across Swansea.

People can also check www.swansea.gov.uk for updates

read more... “Temporary closure for Penlan Leisure Centre and Ysgol Bryntawe”

Pudsey to attack Chiles in Swansea live on TV

Primetime BBC TV programme The One Show will broadcast live from Swansea's Waterfront Winterland later this week.

Anchor presenter Adrian Chiles will be at the attraction on Thursday November 19 between 7pm and 7.30pm when he will attempt to avoid being sponged by Pudsey and some young helpers as part of a special stunt for Children in Need.

One Show viewers are being asked this week to vote for either Adrian or co-presenter Christine Bleakley to be splatted. Christine will be based in Belfast on the night and the presenter who receives the least votes will go ice-skating instead of getting soaked.

Swansea Council is behind Waterfront Winterland.

Frances Jenkins, Swansea Council's Strategic Manager for Tourism, Marketing and Events, said: "Waterfront Winterland is a fantastic event and a real landmark in Swansea's festive celebrations.

"We're thrilled to help the One Show raise money for Children in Need and we'd like to invite local children to the event on Thursday to watch and help Adrian Chiles win his challenge.

"We're hoping for a great turnout."

Waterfront Winterland opened on Sunday for the fourth consecutive year.

The attraction is back in the grounds of the National Waterfront Museum with regular highlights including ice-skating, the Admiral Giant Wheel, Santa's Grotto, a festive funfair, live entertainment and food.

New additions to the event for 2009 include Rocky's Rink- the only children's ice rink in Wales- as well as an undercover spectator area and a new Chair-o-Plane ride.

Ice-skating tickets are now available at www.waterfrontwinterland.com
or from Swansea Tourist Information Centre on 01792 637300.

Waterfront Winterland is kindly supported by Admiral, Swansea Council's Road Safety Team, Swansea Sound and the Wave, Royal Mail and the National Waterfront Museum.

read more... “Pudsey to attack Chiles in Swansea live on TV”

Signed by rugby heroes and yours for charity

RUGBY fans are being asked to get shirty for a good cause.

Workers at Swansea Council's transportation department are auctioning off two autographed rugby shirts to raise money for Children in Need.

The shirts, a 2009 British Lions t-shirt and a Wales international jersey, have each been signed by current Welsh stars and coaching staff.

Warren Gatland, Shane Williams, Lee Byrne, Stephen Jones, Ryan Jones and Gethin Jenkins are among those to have signed the tops.

Customer services officer Paul Williams started the ball rolling in the summer.

He said: "I travelled to South Africa to watch the Lions a few months ago and Wales Team Manager Allan Phillips was leading the tour I was on. Children in Need is a fabulous charity and Allan managed to get the Welsh players and coaches on the Lions tour to sign a Lions jersey during the trip.

"I also made contact with Allan after the tour and he arranged for the players and coaches to sign a Welsh international top before the All Blacks match in Cardiff.

"We're now going to auction the tops off and the money from the winning bid will go to Children in Need."

People can take part in the auction by emailing their bid and contact details to paul.williams3@swansea.gov.uk by noon on Friday November 20.

Paul has started the bidding process off at £50 a top.

read more... “Signed by rugby heroes and yours for charity”

Swansea's sportsman of 2009 to be named this week

A World Athletics Championship finalist will do battle with two British Lions for the right to be named Swansea's Sportsman of the Year this week.

The Active Swansea Sport Awards winners will be revealed at a special ceremony at the Brangwyn Hall on Friday November 20.

Among those shortlisted are top Welsh athlete David Greene along with Welsh rugby stars Alun Wyn Jones and Leigh Halfpenny.

Promising badminton star Daniel Van Hooijdonk is one of the names on the shortlist for the junior male award.

In the running for the Team of the Year award are South Gower AFC, Swansea Harriers and Swansea City women's team.

Emma Beames, Swansea Council's Senior Community Sports Development Officer, said: "The Active Swansea Sports Awards present a special opportunity to recognise the accomplishments of Swansea's athletes, coaches and volunteers. The awards evening promises to be a great occasion."

Tickets for the evening cost £16.50 and include a two-course meal. They can be purchased from Swansea Tennis Centre on 01792 650484.

This year's sponsors of the Active Swansea Sports Awards are Charterbrook Signs, Road Safety, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, South Wales Evening Post, MGM Sports Wear, The LC, Swansea University and Active Swansea.

Visit www.activeswansea.com for more information.

read more... “Swansea's sportsman of 2009 to be named this week”

Prestigious UK award for stadium art project

An innovative Swansea arts project has beaten off competition from some of the UK's leading cultural attractions to win a major prize.

The vibrant artworks that line the walls of the city's Liberty Stadium won the JTI Arts and Business Community Award ahead of other shortlisted entries from the British Museum, The Hay Festival and London's Southbank Centre.

The prestigious national award is given to a partnership that encourages community engagement with the arts or has made a significant contribution to regeneration or sustainable growth.

Swansea's Liberty Stadium was recognised for a project alongside Pippin's Designs where star rugby and football players such as Shane Williams, Ryan Jones and Lee Trundle worked alongside about 1,500 local young people, youth groups and children with physical and learning difficulties to produce artwork.

Some of the artwork includes the autographed portraits of Swans and Ospreys players lining the Liberty Stadium walls that are now seen by over 750,000 fans a year.

Art experts also worked alongside players and local young people to put together paintings of the visiting Australian rugby team, Elton John and the Princess Royal.

Cllr John Hague, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, is a Director of the Swansea Stadium Management Company.

He said: "The calibre of this award can be illustrated by the other shortlisted projects. This community arts scheme has beaten off competition from some of the foremost cultural venues and attractions in the UK . Everyone involved in the arts scheme is thoroughly deserving of national recognition because the project has helped the stadium become a heartbeat of the community."

Cllr Graham Thomas, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism, is Chairman of the Directors of the Swansea Stadium Management Company.

He said: "The artwork that lines the walls of the Liberty Stadium has become a very popular feature of the venue that attracts a lot of interest from the thousands of rugby and football fans who attend games every week during the season.

"The arts scheme has helped raise the profile of the stadium and receiving this award will further heighten recognition of this wonderful facility across the UK."

Andrew Davies, General Manager of the Liberty Stadium who collected the award on behalf of the Stadium, said: "This is a fantastic achievement and I'm delighted for Jon and Sally Phillips of Pippin's Designs and all the individuals and groups involved in the project.

"This is after all a reflection of their hard work and, while we are delighted that their work has brought colour to the Stadium, the real achievement for us is the impact it has had on the young people involved.

"We hope that this award will be the platform which will allow the project to go from strength to strength."

read more... “Prestigious UK award for stadium art project”

New meters in Council buildings to help cut carbon

Council buildings from schools to theatres could be fitted with state-of-the-art energy meters to identify and reduce wastage and cut costs.

Swansea Council's Cabinet is being asked to back a plan to install Automatic Energy Metering in all non-domestic Council owned buildings from public loos to leisure centres.

It would mean 850 gas and electricity meters in around 400 buildings could be updated to provide computer readouts to improve the monitoring of energy usage and end estimated bills.

The move follows the successful monitoring of similar meters in Swansea secondary schools and comes as the Council gears up for the government's Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC).

The mandatory scheme to be introduced by the Government from April 2010 means the Council has to record all the energy it uses and will have to buy carbon allowances based on that usage.

The current energy spend at the Council stands at around £6 million which means the Local Authority faces having to buy carbon allowances of up to £600,000 a year.

Allowance payments will be recycled to participants in the scheme that depend on their carbon reduction performance.

The meters and the data provided should help the Council identify ways of reducing its carbon footprint and the amount of carbon allowances to be purchased.

Buildings to be included in the scheme would include all civic offices, schools, libraries, community centres, leisure centres, museums, theatres, galleries, public conveniences, park pavilions and Council-run residential homes.

Automatic type metering has already been used in Swansea Council comprehensive schools to enable the Council to access energy use through a web-based report system.

It can identify what energy is being used at night or over weekends when schools are closed. Schools can cut costs by reducing wastage caused, for example, by computers being left on unnecessarily.

The metering will also reduce the number of estimated bills the Local Authority receives reducing over payment and administration costs.

Cllr Stuart Rice, Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "The meters would be part of ongoing work within the Local Authority designed to reduce unnecessary energy usage and carbon emissions.

"Not only are we trying to be more environmentally friendly but we also intend keeping the cost to Council Tax payers of the energy we use down.

"It is anticipated that the meters will help identify ways to use energy more efficiently in our buildings and generate future carbon savings."

read more... “New meters in Council buildings to help cut carbon”

Local plan logo to be designed by kids

Kids in Swansea are being given the chance to put their mark on an important plan which will help shape Swansea's future.

Young people under the age of 18 in Swansea have been invited to design a special logo for the city's Local Development Plan (LDP) which is set to be produced by Swansea Council.

The LDP will set out the Council's policies and proposals for the future development and use of land.

In certain locations it will allow opportunities for building new houses and the provision of new facilities such as shops, offices and leisure attractions. However, other areas such as parks, woodlands and beaches will be protected and enhanced so that these special locations can be enjoyed by more people in the future.

The competition organisers are looking for a logo that is distinctive and will be easily associated with the LDP and the future development of Swansea.

The winning logo will be used on all documents and branding throughout the preparation of the LDP and the winner will receive an iPod Shuffle.

Three runners -up for each of the age-group categories- Primary, Secondary and Further Education- will each win £50 of book tokens for their school or college.

Gareth Sullivan, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, said: "We want children to get involved in the LDP. This city is their future and hopefully the logo competition will give them an introduction to how Swansea's development is planned.

"The competition is a great way of us communicating with schoolchildren and hopefully we will get some idea of what they think is important."

The first stage of the production of the LDP was completed earlier this year with the production of the Delivery Agreement. The next stage will include the submission of suggested sites to be included in the plan.

Cllr Sullivan added: "The importance of having a say on the LDP cannot be underestimated and I hope the new opportunities for influence we are offering communities will be taken up.

"Communities need to be involved at the earliest opportunity to identify common ground and shared goals as well as deal with contentious issues and conflicts.

"I hope that people will take the opportunity to find out more about how they can get involved in the LDP."

Full competition details along with further information about the LDP process are available on the LDP website at www.swansea.gov.uk/ldp or by contacting the Planning Policy Team on 01792 635744.

read more... “Local plan logo to be designed by kids”

Ospreys coaching chat helps develop regional talent

Sean Holley, Ospreys Head Coach, delivered a seminar on the Defensive Tackle Contest (DTC), with the coaches present given a detailed insight into how the Ospreys approach the analysis and coaching of this vital aspect of the game, including the latest Ospreys stats from Sports Code, the hi-tech analysis system used by coaches at the region, and video footage of the Ospreys DTC training sessions.

The coaches present at the session have been given video footage of the Ospreys’ Magners League rivals Munster in order to undertake a detailed analysis of them in advance of the game at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, December 5, and will presenting their findings to Sean Holley in a follow-up ORCA meeting at Llandarcy on Wednesday, November 25.

A crucial part of the coaching development pathway at the Ospreys, ORCA is a forum for Level Three coaches that aims to encourage them to look at topical issues within coaching and to try to produce some fresh ideas, meeting four times a year to discuss a set topic, with follow-up sessions allowing the participating coaches to present their analysis/findings.

Tony Thomas, Ospreys Coach Development Officer, said:

"It is vital for the development of coaches that their existing views are challenged and that they constantly seek to improve their understanding of all facets of the game. ORCA is designed as a forum for exactly this sort of progress. Any Level 3 coach in the Ospreys area who is interested in joining future events should contact me on tthomas@wru.co.uk."

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