Wales YFC News

Young People aged 10-28 with their varying talents represented their clubs and entertained audiences during the Wales YFC Entertainment Feast weekend.

A succesful weekend was held in Pontio, Bangor as members from all over Wales competed at the Wales YFC Entertainment finals in both Welsh and English. The event gives members the opportunity to perform on a professional stage with fantastic facilities and technical equipment and the support of professional tech teams.

On Saturday the 4th of March, the federation held their English Entertainments, with seven counties having competed for the title of Wales Champions and the opportunity to represent Wales in the NYFYFC finals. The first session commenced at 12pm and included the Radnor, Carmarthenshire and Montgomery federations. Following an interval, the second session began at 5.30pm and featured Brecknock, Gwent, Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire federations.

GODA Judge, Robert Meadows, was the adjudicator for the English Entertainment section. Robert began his adjudicating career more than twenty years ago. Since then, he has adjudicated finals of British and Irish Full Length and One Act Play competitions and has had the privilege of working for over one hundred theatre festivals across the UK. He is keenly interested in new writing for the theatre, having been involved in writing and producing many site-specific dramas for Heritage Lottery as well as having work produced by professional amateur groups. For many years he had his own Murder Mystery Company and so has enjoyed the cut and thrust of staging plays. Drawing on the experience of teaching and examining drama in schools and universities up to 2000, Robert went on to work as a keynote speaker on creativity and arts learning for Arts Councils across the UK and abroad. He continues – very occasionally, these days – to offer business development support to art and cultural organisations.

Prior to the event, Robert told Wales YFC;

“I have always enjoyed the Young Farmers’ Competitions. There is a passion and energy that is hard to beat, and I have seen some very impressive work in competitions – including new writing – over the years. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more supportive and enthusiastic audience. Very much looking forward to this year’s event.”

The first day of the feast was drawn to a close with an awards ceremony for the English section. Whereby the trophy for the most promising female performer was awarded to Rhian Hughes, Llandovery YFC, Carmarthenshire and the trophy for the most promising male performer was presented to Samuel Powell, Erwood YFC, Brecknock. Receiving the Paul Elkington Productions award for technical achievement was Wick YFC, Glamorgan. Finally, the E G H Trumper Trophy for the best performance went to Erwood YFC, Brecknock. The final placings are as follows;

7^th Abergavenny YFC, Gwent

6^th Wick YFC, Glamorgan

5^th Rhosgoch YFC, Radnor

=3^rd Keyston YFC, Pembrokeshire

=3^rd Llandovery YFC, Carmarthenshire

2^nd Llanfyllin YFC, Montgomery

1^st Erwood YFC, Brecknock

Both Llanfyllin YFC and Erwood YFC will now be heading to Leamington Spa on the 22^nd of April 2023 to compete in the NFYFC English Language Entertainment final.

The feast continued on Sunday the 5th of March with four Welsh language Entertainments. The session started at 2pm with members from the Pembrokeshire, Montgomery, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Ynys Môn federations taking to the stage.

In the Welsh Section we welcomed Myfanwy Alexander who joined us from Montgomeryshire. Myfanwy has written a wide range of things, including for radio and television programmes and her series of fictional novels. The fifth novel in the series will be launched at the Royal Welsh Show this year. She has also worked in community drama, especially with the YFC Movement which helps develop her eye for comedy: she won the Sony award for satire. Myfanwy is the mother of six girls who have all benefited from the opportunities provided by YFC.

During the awards ceremony for the Welsh Entertainments, the trophy for the most promising female performer was awarded to Sulwen Richards, Carmarthenshire and the trophy for the most promising male performer was presented to Ilan Jones, Montgomery. Receiving the Paul Elkington Productions award for technical achievement was Pontsian YFC, Ceredigion. Finally, the Buddug James Memorial Trophy for the best performance went to Dyffryn Cothi YFC, Carmarthenshire. The weekend of Entertainment was drawn to a close with the Welsh section final placings as follows;

5^th Bodedern YFC, Ynys Môn

4^th Hermon YFC, Pembrokeshire

3^rd Bro Ddyfi YFC, Montgomery

2^nd Pontsian YFC, Ceredigion

1^st Dyffryn Cothi YFC, Carmarthenshire

Also during the weekend we held our annual Junior and Senior member of the year competitions and the result of the prestigious award were announced on stage.

After thorough discussion by the panel of judges; Anwen Orrells, Jan Lloyd and Iestyn Pritchard, it was Elain, Merionnydd that received the Junior member of the year award.

The panel judging the Senior member of the year competition included: Bethan Wyn Williams, Sioned Edwards and Rhiannon Dafydd. The judges were impressed with all competing members, but it was Endaf Griffiths, Ceredigion that was presented with the Senior member of the Year Award.

Wales YFC would like to extend their grateful thank the Judges, stewards, members and supporters who all made the event the success that it was. We would also like to acknowledge with grateful thanks, our sponsors; Wynnstay, the sponsors of the Wales YFC Entertainment Feast, Kuhn, sponsors of the English entertainment awards and JCP Solicitors for sponsoring the member of the year competitions.