Civic Engagements Week Ending 7 April 2019

Welsh Music Legends Launch

This evening I went straight from the council meeting to the Waterfront Museum for the launch of the Welsh Music Legends CD. This is a joint venture between Ysgol Pen y Bryn and Cwmrhydyceirw Primary School.

Over a period of time the two schools worked with Welsh Music Legends such as Wyn Evans and Bonnie Tyler to record five classic songs - Calon Lan, Holding out for a Hero, Have a Nice Day, The Impossible Dream and Never Enough. An interactive book about the project can be viewed on iTunes here.

All the proceeds of selling the CD will go to Bobarth Cymru, who run a Therapy Centre to improve the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy in Wales.

The launch itself was a fantastic experience with the combined choirs of the two schools treating us to the songs on the album. The place was packed out with proud parents and relatives and at the end the performance got a deserved standing ovation.

Civic Engagements Week Ending 31 March 2019

Tenovus Cancer Care Mobile Support Unit

With members of the Tenovus choir

Tenovus Cancer Care's third and newest mobile support unit rolled into the Liberty Stadium today, and I was there as Deputy Lord Mayor to meet them and look around the facility.

This is the charity's third and newest mobile support unit. It was launched in October and is the largest mobile chemotherapy space in the world. It delivers treatment to the people of Swansea and surrounding areas twice a month, offering patients shorter journey times, less waiting in hospitals and more time to spend with loved ones at difficult times.

The unit cost £700,000 and is run by money raised by the charity. They have two more units operating in Wales performing an invaluable service in bringing treatment to patients. often in inaccessible areas.

Unfortunately, I was unable to stay to listen to the Swansea Tenovus Cancer Care Sing with us choir, but I did see them in St. Mary's Church in December and will no doubt see them again during the next year.

Civic Engagements Week Ending 24 March 2019

Visit of West Point Army Academy Rugby Team

This evening I was off to the Territorial Army headquarters in West Cross where the 1998 West Cross RAF Cadets were hosting the West Point Army Academy Rugby Team.

The team is made up of cadets at the Academy, and were accompanied by officers, coaches and some of the parents. They are currently touring the UK and have already played two games, one against Oxford University, which the drew 22-22, and the second against the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, which the lost 40-14.

Tomorrow they are due to play Swansea University at St. Helen's before heading back to the States, though many of them have tickets to the Wales - Ireland game at the Principality Stadium on Saturday first.

It was a great evening and the RAF Cadets proved to be excellent hosts, providing food, drink and entertainment. I made a short speech welcoming them to Swansea and emphasising our main attractions, our bay, Gower AONB and the strong cultural and sporting pursuits in the City.

I also recommended to many of them that if they get the chance they should visit Swansea market and try the laverbread and cockles. The weather does not look great for the next two days but I am sure that our renowned hospitality will make up for it.

Civic Engagements Week Ending 17 March 2019

Evita - Cockett Amateur Operatic Society

Although I am familiar with the headline songs, I have never seen Evita on stage before so this event was the perfect opportunity to rectify that. We were not disappointed.

The Cockett Amateur Operatic Society has been staging annual shows since 1963, starting off with a number of Gilbert and Sullivan productions before branching out into more diverse musical theatre in 1981. We were told that a number of their members also participate in other amateur groups in the City.

This particular production was slick and professional, and the principal players, Joanne Griffiths as Eva, Nick Packer as Che, Dean Walker as Peron, Carys Melodie Comlet as Mistress and Saul Woods as Magaldi were all outstanding. It was a most enjoyable evening.

We will certainly try to come back next year if the diary allows for Sister Act.

Civic Engagements Week Ending 10 March 2019

St David's Concert

This evening we were at St Mary's Church in Swansea City Centre for a St David's concert hosted by Gwalia Singers. The purpose of this concert is to raise funds for the choir to take part in the Celtic Festival at the end of May in Barbados. The choir will be representing the whole of Wales at this event.

The Celtic Festival began in Barbados when a Welsh woman brought her father's Male Voice Choir over to the island and it was a huge success. Since then the festival has been held annually, but no Welsh Male Voice choir has taken part since. The Gwalia Singers will be changing all that.

Tonight's concert also saw performances by the Mid Rhondda Brass Band, who are based in Tonypandy. Founded in 1941 as the Tonypandy Silver Band, its name was changed to Mid Rhondda Brass Band in 1949. In 1995 it became known as the Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda Band following support from local Coach Proprietor Mr Glyn Thomas.

We also heard sings from The Eclectics, who are a group of friends who love to sing together in harmony unaccompanied. This group have a wide repertoire ranging from African songs to Beatles hits to a song by Henry VIII and we were treated to a good selection of these songs.

You Can Care event

This lunchtime I was in the Quadrant shopping centre to support an organisation called Home Instead who deliver domiciliary care and respite to clients across Swansea.

The services they offer clients include providing companionship, planning and preparing meals, light housekeeping, medication reminders, running errands, assisting seniors who live with Alzheimer's or another dementia  and helping with daily living routines. They were set up in the Quadrant in the hope of attracting people to choose care as a profession.

Attracting enough carers to domiciliary care is a particular problem and can cause bed blocking in local hospitals. That is because the council has been unable to put a care package in place to help a patient cope at home and become more independent after treatment.

We were joined on the stand by Jess Gallivan, who is an apprentice in Social Services working with people with learning difficulties, and also a finalist for Miss Wales (a contest that in the modern era concentrates on achievements, contribution to the community and personality, rather than looks).

One of the organisers, Dawn George, was dressed in a bear costume (Care Bear?), which was attracting a lot of families to talk to the stand. The highlight was clearly, the dance she and I had to the music from a nearby harpist, a video of which will undoubtedly surface shortly.