Latest news with #RoyalWelshShowground
Powys County Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Bargain Hunt filming at Tower Auction House Newtown
Get your bidder numbers ready because hit BBC One TV programme Bargain Hunt will be filming in Newtown on Saturday (May 17). Fans of the popular daytime show will get to see what happens behind the scenes of the iconic programme during a live auction at Tower Auction House in Pool Road. The blue and red teams have already spent up to £300 during an hour at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells, on antiques which they'll sell in Newtown on Saturday. Before the sale, the Bargain Hunt presenter and the auctioneer will discuss the chances of each item making or losing money for the teams. The teams get to keep the difference between what they spend on an item and the hammer price at the auction house in Newtown, so it's all to play for as the auction begins from 9.30am. Tower Auction House customers were delighted after being told that Newtown could make television fame on the long-running BBC programme. Mark Horsley described it as 'fantastic news and well deserved' for the Powys business. While Lee Williams congratulated Tower Auction House, adding that staff have 'earnt the recognition'. The Royal Welsh Showground has been a regular feature on Bargain Hunt for many years, and in 2022 a couple from Caersws donned the famous red team fleeces on the show which was filmed at the Wrexham Antiques Centre. Another Newtown business which will be getting in on the lights, camera and action will be Lion Bites which will be offering an extended time on Saturday to accommodate Bargain Hunt's filming. 'Get yourselves down and pick up a bap and a bargain,' Lion Bites said.
Powys County Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Nixon Farms wins Royal Welsh Showground catering contract
THE Welsh Black Cattle Society has agreed a new catering partnership with a family firm near Builth Wells. The society says the new partnership will bring an exciting culinary experience to the pavilion at the heart of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society events – including the Royal Welsh Show. Following a competitive selection process, Nixon Farms, based at Penmincae Farm, just outside Builth, has been appointed as the official catering operator for the society's pavilion, based on the Royal Welsh Showground. Nixon Farms has said it will offer a "fresh and inviting" menu that celebrates the best of Welsh Black beef. Society chairman Marian Phillips said: 'We are thrilled to welcome Nixon Farms to our pavilion. "Their ethos aligns perfectly with the values of the Welsh Black Cattle Society – quality, provenance and a deep appreciation for the Welsh Black Beef and Welsh agriculture. 'We are confident they will enhance the pavilion experience for all our members and guests.' The pavilion serves as a central hub for members and visitors during major agricultural events, including the Royal Welsh Show. The new catering offering will feature seasonal dishes, light refreshments and special menus that showcase Welsh Black beef and other regional produce. James Nixon, of Nixon Farms, added: 'It is a great honour to be working with the Welsh Black Cattle Society and its members to showcase the quality of Welsh Black beef in the pavilion on the Royal Welsh Showground. "As a family we look forward to welcoming you.' The new catering operation will officially launch at the Royal Welsh Spring Festival being held this weekend, May 17-18, with members and the public warmly invited to experience the new menu and hospitality. Founded in 1904, the Welsh Black Cattle Society is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and development of the native Welsh Black breed. The society supports breeders across the UK and celebrates the breed's role in sustainable, high-quality beef production.
Western Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire woman to exhibit at art show in London
Nancy Una Simmons from Milford Haven, who previously attended Carmarthen School of Art, will exhibit her creations at London art show New Designers. She will be accompanied by fellow ex-student Rachel Thomas from Aberystwyth. Both women were awarded £1,000 bursaries by Wonderwool Wales, a natural fibre festival, after graduating from their BA Textiles courses. As part of the award, the artists had the opportunity to display their work at the festival and network with other professionals. After gaining experience and exposure at the Wonderwool event at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, they now are preparing for the next step in their artistic careers. The New Designers exhibition in London is an annual event that provides a platform for the top graduate design talent from across the UK. It showcases the work of more than 2,500 graduates in a variety of disciplines including textiles, graphics, and product design. The bursaries from the Wonderwool Wales festival have been used to support their work, providing them with opportunities for future growth. They expressed gratitude towards the festival, acknowledging the indispensable support which helped them establish a future career direction. The exhibition in London provides the artists with an opportunity to showcase their work beyond Wales. Ms Simmons has been working on her wall hangings, throws, and cushion designs since her graduation. She plans to launch her own business that focuses on weaving and running natural dyeing workshops. She grows her own plants in her garden in order to use the natural dye in her work. Her passion for sustainably produced art finds a fitting expression in this initiative. The £1,000 bursary will help fund her trip to London for the exhibition. Rachel Thomas, who has also been productive since graduation, was equally enthusiastic. The artist has gained a position as a weaver in residence at Newtown Textile Museum, where she will work this summer. Ms Thomas has purchased a loom with her awarded fund and has ambitious aspirations for her future practice. She envisions producing fabric for costumes in films and TV productions. She is set to make profitable use of her skill by taking on commissions and exploring various facets of textile art. Chrissie Menzies, director of the Wonderwool Wales festival, said: "It was lovely to see Rachel and Nancy exhibiting at the show and we are pleased that the bursaries are supporting them to develop their careers as textile artists. "We wish them success at the New Designers event in London."
Powys County Times
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Wool art exhibition celebrating VE Day unveiled in Wales
A wool art exhibition celebrating VE Day was unveiled for the first time in Llanelwedd last weekend. The Britain at War exhibition – The Longest Yarn 2 – was displayed at Wonderwool Wales, the premier wool and natural fibre festival in Wales, held at the Royal Welsh Showground. The exhibition consisted of nine panels at its launch, but will grow to 80 as extra panels are added during a tour of the UK over the coming months. The first nine panels include VE Day, Buckingham Palace, The Lorry on the Strand, The Street Party, The Conga at The Ritz with Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, War is Declared, Coventry Cathedral is Bombed, Windows Taped up, The Few – Spitfire pilots with their dogs, and Lumber Jills. Founder Tansy Forster and her fellow knitters and crocheters are creating a new installation following the success of The Longest Yarn – an 80-metre, 3D wool art depiction of the D-Day landings in France on June 6, 1944 – which toured the UK last year and is now touring America. More than 1,000 knitters and crocheters from around the world contributed to the first project, which grew from Tansy's original idea of creating a display for a garden wall at her home in Normandy. Event director Chrissie Menzies said: "We were thrilled that Tansy and her group of fellow knitters produced the fantastic VE Day exhibition to be premiered at Wonderwool Wales. "The exhibition attracted huge interest and so many positive comments over the weekend and I am certain it will meet with the same response as it tours the UK." The Britain at War exhibition will be at Wells Cathedral until May 10, before moving to Gosport from May 12 to June 4, Plymouth from June 5 to 29, a venue to be confirmed from June 30 to July 21, Brecon from July 22 to 31, and Chiltern Open Air Museum from August 1 to 31. By September 3, at Southwell Minster, all 80 panels will be on display. The exhibition then moves to Stoke on Trent Minster in October, Sherborne Abbey in November and Leek in December. In 2026, the tour continues to Kilkeel, Northern Ireland in January, Enniskillen in February, Penrith in March, Belfast in April, Lichfield Cathedral in May, Peterborough Cathedral in June, Nothe Fort in Weymouth in July, Gosport in August, Welshpool in September, Wrexham in October and Chorley in November. Ms Forster, said: "Due to the positive reception and success we have experienced with the Longest Yarn, we are excited to further develop our initiatives to ensure these significant commemorations continue to be recognised. "Britain at War examines how Britain navigated the war from September 3, 1939 to VE Day on May 8, 1945. "Visitors to Wonderwool Wales were the first to see the start of 80-panel work we are currently working on. "When I first had my lightbulb moment, I really had no idea that it would lead to this incredible rollercoaster that I've been on for almost two years. "250,000 people have visited the first exhibition and raised the same in monetary terms." She explained that she hopes to double the £250,000 raised so far to help establish a halfway house for British veterans, while also supporting dog charities that assist people with disabilities and medical conditions. Ms Forster is also hopeful that The Longest Yarn will raise enough money in the USA to establish a halfway house for American veterans.
