Llanelli Star

Spend an evening with legend Gazza

- ROBERT LLOYD Print Content Editor robert.lloyd01@walesonlin­e.co.uk Find out more on the Facebook page – https://www.facebook. com/SelwynSamu­elCentre/

FOOTBALLIN­G legend Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne is coming to Llanelli.

His appearance, however, will not be on the pitch – but at ‘An Evening with Paul Gascoigne’ which is being staged at the New Selwyn Samuel Events Arena on Saturday, June 18.

Gascoigne, now 57, had a stellar career as a footballer.

He is described by the National Football Museum as “widely recognised as the most naturally talented English footballer of his generation”.

His life off the field of play has also been colourful, dramatic and often played out in the full glare of internatio­nal press coverage.

The evening is being staged by 33 Promotions.

During his footballin­g career, Gascoigne played for Newcastle

United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio and Glasgow Rangers.

He made 388 appearance­s across his 20-year career, scoring 83 times.

He also played 57 times for England, scoring 10 goals, with one of his greatest scores coming against Scotland at Wembley in Euro 96.

The New Selwyn Samuel Events Arena is slowly being converted back to a venue for live attraction­s after being used as Ysbyty Enfys Selwyn Samuel Hospital during the coronaviru­s pandemic.

The venue will shortly be back under the wing of Paul Francis and his team at Anyone Waiting.

Mr Francis posted on Facebook: “Anyone Waiting are pleased to announce Ysbyty Enfys Selwyn

Samuel will be going through its decommissi­oning phase ahead of Anyone Waiting taking back over later this spring. This will end Hywel Dda’s Covid-19 field hospital programme of two years.

“The Selwyn Samuel Centre, which provides a local indoor bowls facility and events centre, will be operationa­l from April.

“Anyone Waiting would like to thank Cllr John Jenkins, Steve Moore, Llanelli Town Council and Lloyd and Gravell, plus all the local community who played such a massive role in the transition of the Selwyn Samuel Centre.

“Anyone Waiting staff gave up their time and had to isolate during the constructi­on, spending weeks at the centre despite uncertaint­y about the virus and risk to themselves and their families.

“During this time the local community helped by bringing provisions and supported staff.

“The public who had functions,weddings etc booked were also more than understand­ing and postponed until the centre reopens.

“Meanwhile, the support has been fantastic at other venues, including the Anyone Waiting cafe and EJ’s Bar and restaurant.

“Anyone Waiting opened these venues to keep staff employed throughout the pandemic.

“Of the nine field hospitals across the region, Ysbyty Enfys Selwyn Samuel has seen the longest operationa­l service (November 16, 2020 – June 23, 2021) of all of the field hospital sites, treating 263 patients in that time.

“The hospital has supported broader Health Board activity by acting as a base for the local acute response team, a lymphoedem­a clinic and as a training and developmen­t venue which helped the Health Board bring 160 much-needed additional health care support workers into the system ahead of winter.”

Leader of Llanelli Town Council Cllr John Jenkins, said: “I am very, very proud of the support Llanelli Town Council was able to give our NHS through the provision of the Selwyn Samuel Centre to be used as The Ysbyty Enfys Hospital.”

He added:“I want to thank Paul Francis and Anyone Waiting for their support and cooperatio­n and Llanelli Indoor Bowls Club for their support. This is a fantastic team effort to support the Local Health Board during the pandemic.”

Upcoming events at the Selwyn Samuel Centre include Showaddywa­ddy and Emma Jones live on stage on June 4, the Welsh X Factor, the Magic of Motown on April 23 and an April Fool Festival on April 1.

 ?? ALBERT COOPER ?? Gazza cries and salutes the crowd after the dramatic England v Germany World Cup semi-final penalty shootout in Rome in 1990.
ALBERT COOPER Gazza cries and salutes the crowd after the dramatic England v Germany World Cup semi-final penalty shootout in Rome in 1990.
 ?? PETE NORTON ?? An Evening with Paul Gascoigne is being held at the New Selwyn Samuel Centre in June.
PETE NORTON An Evening with Paul Gascoigne is being held at the New Selwyn Samuel Centre in June.
 ?? CRAIG HALKETT ?? Footballin­g legend Paul Gascoigne in action.
CRAIG HALKETT Footballin­g legend Paul Gascoigne in action.

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