
Eisteddfod volunteers recognised for decades of service
Ms Jones from Llantysilio has been a dedicated volunteer and steward at the Eisteddfod for 50 years.
She is a familiar face at the festival, offering support to competitors as they prepare for their preliminary tests.
Her commitment to the festival has now been recognised by Gorsedd Cymru.
Ms Jones, however, was quick to point out that her service was not motivated by the prospect of reward.
She said: "That's not why I volunteer. I volunteer because I want to.
"I have seen a large number of people come in, take part in a preliminary test, go on to the stage and enjoy success."
Ms Jones's connection with the Eisteddfod stretches back to her competitive days when she met her husband, Arfon.
Dylan Wyn Jones from Yr Wyddgrug was another volunteer honoured at the ceremony.
Known affectionately as Dylan Carafáns by many Eisteddfod attendees, he was instrumental in organising the Eisteddfod's caravan site for many years.
READ MORE:
Finalists announced for Food Awards Wales 2025
Newsquest to publish souvenir supplements for Teenage Cancer Trust anniversary
He was also responsible for the festival stewards for almost 20 years, building a special relationship with the volunteers.
Dylan is described as a keen volunteer who supports and promotes a large number of local Welsh organisations.
Also honoured was Richard "Dic" Jones, from Yr Wyddgrug, who was the third volunteer recognised.
Originally a police officer with North Wales Police, Dic has been involved with the National Eisteddfod since 2007 as part of the Chief Steward's team with responsibility for the transport side.
His voluntary work after retiring from the police service has made him a familiar face to thousands of Eisteddfod-goers over the years.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Edinburgh Reporter
2 hours ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Fringe 2025 – ANGLE OF THE NORTH: NATALIE DURKIN ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The way the performers interact during the initial stages is often a very good sign of what is to come. As Fringe-goers entered the pub for Angle of the North and were greeted by an effervescent Natalie Durkin, it was clear that this was going to be an enjoyable show. So it proved. The real essence of the Fringe The atmosphere was warm, with about 25 people crammed in the small back room of the Southsider pub ('let me warn you, it's going to get f***ing warm in here!). This is the real essence of the Fringe. As the audience waited, they were 'treated' to a series of 'bad Eighties tunes'. Though primarily stand-up comedy, music was going to play a role in the show – Durkin's singing was unexpected and impressive. There was a nice mix of ages in the room, so the tunes would have been familiar to many. Again this added to the sense of ease in the room. The audience seemed to sense that they were in good hands and would not have to battle through 'Fringe Cringe'. The show proved to be far from that. Collective, collaborative atmosphere Durkin did a great great job of creating and maintaining a nice collective, collaborative atmosphere. This was through the character of her interactions with the audience. She was never harsh and no one was put on the spot. We all felt included. This encouraged people to contribute, including a couple on the front row whose entertaining interactions with Durkin really added to the show. Durkin's off the cuff remarks and reactions demonstrated a performer that was relaxed and sharp. There were no awkward silences. The relaxed feel of the show meant she could go with the flow when things didn't go quite as planned ('that was clearly not meant to happen – but let's just go for it'). She carried the audience through it all. She even made the setting up of the mic stand into a feature of the show! Am I becoming middle class? Her main focus was on the questions of culture and class. More specifically, of her own unease – having moved to a rather posh area of North London from the North East of England. Trips to the Hampstead Heath bathing pool still made her feel uneasy given her working class roots. 'Am I becoming middle class?'. Her new life was at odds with her upbringing and some of her preferences, much preferring kebabs to avocados. There are familiar themes in British comedy but were done well, not hackneyed. The show was fast-paced, with engagement maintained right throughout. Nice changes of pace and tone helped, as did the shifts into song; songs which were humorous and well performed. The themes also shifted, from very light to quite dark at times. This all gave the performance a nice texture. Though she described it as a work in progress show, it's clearly progressing well. The shows 40 minutes passed quickly and highly enjoyably. An excellent advert for the Free Fringe The performance was very much in tune with the principles of PBH's Free Fringe. The whole setup was very minimal (a black sheet, a synthesizer and a microphone); all rather different from the more 'professional' rooms at the big venues, where the lighting and flow of air may be better. Durkin's 'bucket speech' was spot on; not begging for money, but paying tribute to the Free Fringe, outlining that working through it was the 'only reason' she could perform in Edinburgh. This highly engaging show was an excellent advert for the Free Fringe. A good reason to explore the Fringe outwith the big venues. ANGLE OF THE NORTH: NATALIE DURKIN is part of PBH's Free Fringe. No booking required – just turn up. It runs at the Southsider – Side Lounge (venue 148) from 16:30 – 17:10, until August 24th Like this: Like Related


Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Kate's foundation launches animated films to support children's development
Kate has been closely involved in the creation of a series of animated films aimed at helping those working with families and carers explain the vital importance of social and emotional development. In June, the princess spent time with two of the illustrators working on the films and met early years practitioners also involved in their creation, during a creative workshop at her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. The Princess of Wales has for many years focused on raising awareness about the early years development of children (Yui Mok/PA) She is said to be extremely passionate about the release of the films which Kensington Palace has described as a key step in her centre's work to continue raising awareness about the importance of the early years development of a child's life. To mark the release Kate said: 'Early childhood has been recognised as the golden opportunity to build strong foundations for future life health and happiness. 'The new animated films from The Centre of Early Childhood showcase how adults can create nurturing, loving interactions with children, helping to foster social and emotional development during their earliest years. 'These core social and emotional skills are essential in forming healthy relationships and are fundamental building blocks that can carry us through life. Kate meeting fathers and their sons during a visit to Dadvengers, a community for dads and their children, in Arnos Grove, north London (Yui Mok/PA) 'That is why we want to raise the awareness of, and celebrate, the extraordinary value of everyday moments of connection which matter more than ever in a rapidly changing world. 'Early childhood offers a sacred opportunity to transform our societies for the better and by nurturing these skills in our babies and children, we will be raising a younger generation better equipped to face the future.' The series, also available in Welsh and with British Sign Language, uses different styles of animation from curated line illustrations to papercraft, to help bring core concepts related to child development to life. The Princess of Wales is said to have taken a keen interest in the development of the animated series (Daniel Leal/PA) Topics covered include how we grow an emotionally healthy brain; noticing and navigating feelings; managing big feelings together; back and forth interactions; supporting early learning; and creating space for connection. The centre is working with universities, charities and professional bodies to build the films into training and practice across the country. The new series follows on from the princess's major Shaping Us Framework initiative, aimed at increasing awareness of social and emotional skills.

Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Kate's foundation launches animated films to support children's development
Kate has been closely involved in the creation of a series of animated films aimed at helping those working with families and carers explain the vital importance of social and emotional development. In June, the princess spent time with two of the illustrators working on the films and met early years practitioners also involved in their creation, during a creative workshop at her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. She is said to be extremely passionate about the release of the films which Kensington Palace has described as a key step in her centre's work to continue raising awareness about the importance of the early years development of a child's life. To mark the release Kate said: 'Early childhood has been recognised as the golden opportunity to build strong foundations for future life health and happiness. 'The new animated films from The Centre of Early Childhood showcase how adults can create nurturing, loving interactions with children, helping to foster social and emotional development during their earliest years. 'These core social and emotional skills are essential in forming healthy relationships and are fundamental building blocks that can carry us through life. 'That is why we want to raise the awareness of, and celebrate, the extraordinary value of everyday moments of connection which matter more than ever in a rapidly changing world. 'Early childhood offers a sacred opportunity to transform our societies for the better and by nurturing these skills in our babies and children, we will be raising a younger generation better equipped to face the future.' The series, also available in Welsh and with British Sign Language, uses different styles of animation from curated line illustrations to papercraft, to help bring core concepts related to child development to life. Topics covered include how we grow an emotionally healthy brain; noticing and navigating feelings; managing big feelings together; back and forth interactions; supporting early learning; and creating space for connection. The centre is working with universities, charities and professional bodies to build the films into training and practice across the country. The new series follows on from the princess's major Shaping Us Framework initiative, aimed at increasing awareness of social and emotional skills.