Latest news with #TomJones
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
8 of the best UK summer festivals for families
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Music festivals are doing more than ever to cater to all interests and ages. Younger audiences are often won over purely by the fact that attendance typically involves camping, glamping or pitching up in a caravan — an opportunity to sleep out in the wild. But the UK's best festivals also provide an endless roster of activities, workshops and experiences to help families bond and create lasting memories. From chilled countryside escapes to adrenaline-sparking coastal adventures. Here are the golden tickets for summer 2025. Best for: big music actsSet in the grounds of Lulworth Castle, Dorset's award-winning festival always has a solid line-up, from Tom Jones to the Sugababes and Mr Tumble. Away from the main stages, there's the world's biggest bouncy castle, mud kitchens and activities such as kids' talent shows, bucket-hat sewing camps and sensory gardens. At the Orchestra of Objects, children can even invent their own musical instruments from junk. 31 July to 3 August. From £733 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Dressing down for the world's largest pyjama party on the Saturday evening. Best for: connecting with natureBackdropped by Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons National Park), the campsite at Green Man opens three days before the action starts, giving families the opportunity to enjoy a week-long break in rural Wales. After evenings spent dancing to the likes of Brit Award winners Wet Leg and dance legends Underworld, welcome each new day with a family sunrise yoga session before wandering over to Einstein's Garden for scientific installations, art and wildlife walks. Older kids can try their hand at film-making, crafting and mastering circus skills in the 'Somewhere' zone. 14 to 17 August. From £650 for a family of four camping. Highlight: The closing fireworks display and ritual burning of the Green Man sculpture to symbolise rebirth in the natural world. Best for: sparking creativitySet within the 5,000-acre Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire, Wilderness Festival has a suitably retro music line-up for parents this year, including Basement Jaxx, Supergrass and Orbital. There's also a dedicated Family Field packed with activities to spark the imagination and inspire creativity. Younger ravers can attend the regular storytelling sessions or 'Treemendously Wild' craft workshop to build masterpieces out of natural materials; for older kids, there are slime-making and circus workshops, comic-drawing sessions and poetry classes, plus woodland theatre. And when parents want to attend a gig solo or visit the Lakeside Spa & Sauna, there's a popular nanny service for the little ones. 31 July-3 August; From £610 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Hands-on radio and podcasting tutorials with experienced producers for budding broadcasters. Best for: bonding adventuresExclusively for families, this Kent favourite prides itself on being more like a summer camp than a festival. Over 100 adventurous activities are on offer throughout the ancient woodland setting. For a quieter moment away from the zorbing, raft-building and beekeeping, grown-ups can take advantage of on-site childcare and nip to the adults-only wellness sanctuary. 15 to 18 August. From £520 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Join a patrol — the Kindling version of a house at school — and work with new friends to compete for the Kindling Cup. Best for: inspiring young mindsSheep are a regular sight on the landscaped fields of Deer Shed — set on part of a working farm close to Ripon in North Yorkshire. There's no designated kids' area — the whole event, dedicated to discovery and expanding younger children's minds, is accessible. Children can see where imagination leads through storytelling workshops and learn about creepy-crawlies through song in The Bug Hotel. Kae Tempest is headlining on Saturday this year; for the smallest ravers, there's the blackout tent hosting a toddler 'nightclub'. 25 to 28 July. From £534 for a family of four camping. Highlight: DJing classes, to help aspiring kids on their journey towards festival headlining. Best for: brave Celtic warriors'Celebrating Scotland' is the theme of this three-day event in the grounds of Perthshire's Tullibole Castle. Aimed primarily at children aged 12 and under, Wildhood plays on local folklore and Scottish traditions with tartan workshops, a woodland haggis hunt, even searching for Nessie in the castle moat. Local bands are complemented by pipers, and street food stalls serve up Caledonian classics. 6 to 8 June. From £509 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Competing in a junior version of the Highland Games. Best for: water babiesMaking the most of its Cornish coastal location, just a rock's throw from Padstow, Rock Oyster offers an armada of water-based activities, from surfing lessons to a pirate school. This year's impressive musical line-up includes Rag'n'Bone Man and UB40. Food plays a major role here, too, with celebrity chef masterclasses and a cookery school for kids. 24-27 July. From £418 for a family of four camping. Highlight: A model-making workshop with Aardman, the creative brains behind Wallace and Gromit Best for: funfair fansTaking its title from the Roman name for nearby Chester, this festival is set in fields overlooked by Cholmondeley Castle. It gives older children a glimpse of life 2,000 years ago with archery, axe-throwing and bushcraft sessions. Younger revellers will enjoy the games and shows led by a team from Chester Zoo, covering topics such as the science behind animal poo. Deva Fest is friendly on the wallet, too, with free fairground rides hoovering up the daylight hours, before Happy Mondays and Gloria Gaynor take to the main stage. 8 to 10 August. From £431 for a family of four camping. Highlight: The Grand Cavalcade troupe of performers leading explosive science experiments, madcap storytelling and interactive workshops. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
8 of the best UK summer festivals for families
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Music festivals are doing more than ever to cater to all interests and ages. Younger audiences are often won over purely by the fact that attendance typically involves camping, glamping or pitching up in a caravan — an opportunity to sleep out in the wild. But the UK's best festivals also provide an endless roster of activities, workshops and experiences to help families bond and create lasting memories. From chilled countryside escapes to adrenaline-sparking coastal adventures. Here are the golden tickets for summer 2025. 1. Camp Bestival Best for: big music acts Set in the grounds of Lulworth Castle, Dorset's award-winning festival always has a solid line-up, from Tom Jones to the Sugababes and Mr Tumble. Away from the main stages, there's the world's biggest bouncy castle, mud kitchens and activities such as kids' talent shows, bucket-hat sewing camps and sensory gardens. At the Orchestra of Objects, children can even invent their own musical instruments from junk. 31 July to 3 August. From £733 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Dressing down for the world's largest pyjama party on the Saturday evening. 2. Green Man Best for: connecting with nature Backdropped by Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons National Park), the campsite at Green Man opens three days before the action starts, giving families the opportunity to enjoy a week-long break in rural Wales. After evenings spent dancing to the likes of Brit Award winners Wet Leg and dance legends Underworld, welcome each new day with a family sunrise yoga session before wandering over to Einstein's Garden for scientific installations, art and wildlife walks. Older kids can try their hand at film-making, crafting and mastering circus skills in the 'Somewhere' zone. 14 to 17 August. From £650 for a family of four camping. Highlight: The closing fireworks display and ritual burning of the Green Man sculpture to symbolise rebirth in the natural world. At the Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire, the Family Field is full of games, theatre and workshops for all ages. Photograph by Sarah Louise Bennett 3. Wilderness Festival Best for: sparking creativity Set within the 5,000-acre Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire, Wilderness Festival has a suitably retro music line-up for parents this year, including Basement Jaxx, Supergrass and Orbital. There's also a dedicated Family Field packed with activities to spark the imagination and inspire creativity. Younger ravers can attend the regular storytelling sessions or 'Treemendously Wild' craft workshop to build masterpieces out of natural materials; for older kids, there are slime-making and circus workshops, comic-drawing sessions and poetry classes, plus woodland theatre. And when parents want to attend a gig solo or visit the Lakeside Spa & Sauna, there's a popular nanny service for the little ones. 31 July-3 August; From £610 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Hands-on radio and podcasting tutorials with experienced producers for budding broadcasters. 4. Camp Kindling Best for: bonding adventures Exclusively for families, this Kent favourite prides itself on being more like a summer camp than a festival. Over 100 adventurous activities are on offer throughout the ancient woodland setting. For a quieter moment away from the zorbing, raft-building and beekeeping, grown-ups can take advantage of on-site childcare and nip to the adults-only wellness sanctuary. 15 to 18 August. From £520 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Join a patrol — the Kindling version of a house at school — and work with new friends to compete for the Kindling Cup. At Deer Shed music festival, there's no designated kids' area — the whole event, dedicated to discovery and expanding younger children's minds, is accessible. Photograph by James Drury 5. Deer Shed Best for: inspiring young minds Sheep are a regular sight on the landscaped fields of Deer Shed — set on part of a working farm close to Ripon in North Yorkshire. There's no designated kids' area — the whole event, dedicated to discovery and expanding younger children's minds, is accessible. Children can see where imagination leads through storytelling workshops and learn about creepy-crawlies through song in The Bug Hotel. Kae Tempest is headlining on Saturday this year; for the smallest ravers, there's the blackout tent hosting a toddler 'nightclub'. 25 to 28 July. From £534 for a family of four camping. Highlight: DJing classes, to help aspiring kids on their journey towards festival headlining. 6. Wildhood Festival Best for: brave Celtic warriors 'Celebrating Scotland' is the theme of this three-day event in the grounds of Perthshire's Tullibole Castle. Aimed primarily at children aged 12 and under, Wildhood plays on local folklore and Scottish traditions with tartan workshops, a woodland haggis hunt, even searching for Nessie in the castle moat. Local bands are complemented by pipers, and street food stalls serve up Caledonian classics. 6 to 8 June. From £509 for a family of four camping. Highlight: Competing in a junior version of the Highland Games. Food is the main attraction at Cornwall's Rock Oyster Festival. Photograph by the Rock Oyster Festival, Caitlin Mogridge 7. Rock Oyster Festival Best for: water babies Making the most of its Cornish coastal location, just a rock's throw from Padstow, Rock Oyster offers an armada of water-based activities, from surfing lessons to a pirate school. This year's impressive musical line-up includes Rag'n'Bone Man and UB40. Food plays a major role here, too, with celebrity chef masterclasses and a cookery school for kids. 24-27 July. From £418 for a family of four camping. Highlight: A model-making workshop with Aardman, the creative brains behind Wallace and Gromit 8. Deva Fest Best for: funfair fans Taking its title from the Roman name for nearby Chester, this festival is set in fields overlooked by Cholmondeley Castle. It gives older children a glimpse of life 2,000 years ago with archery, axe-throwing and bushcraft sessions. Younger revellers will enjoy the games and shows led by a team from Chester Zoo, covering topics such as the science behind animal poo. Deva Fest is friendly on the wallet, too, with free fairground rides hoovering up the daylight hours, before Happy Mondays and Gloria Gaynor take to the main stage. 8 to 10 August. From £431 for a family of four camping. Highlight: The Grand Cavalcade troupe of performers leading explosive science experiments, madcap storytelling and interactive workshops. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Tom Jones played matchmaker for another huge Welsh singer
Tom Jones played matchmaker for another huge Welsh singer It's not unusual that Tom Jones managed to play cupid for his former duet partner. It appears Sir Tom isn't just a talented vocalist but also dabbles in matchmaking. (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) Tom Jones isn't just an incredible vocalist, but it turns out he is also a brilliant matchmaker. Former Catatonia singer, Cerys Matthews has her long time friend Sir Tom to thank for setting her up with her husband of 14 years. In 2011, Cerys married Steve 'Abbo' Abbott, a music manager and member of post-punk band UK Decay. However, this may well not have happened if the Sex Bomb singer hadn't set them up. Tom had told the pair that they found each other attractive and the rest was history. At the time, the music manager hadn't even heard of Catatonia as he was living in America. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter Steve said: "I lived in America, so I missed Catatonia. I only knew them because I was working with Tom Jones and he recorded with her. It was Tom actually that put us together. He and Mark, his son, knew we had a lot of common interests." The pair of Welsh singers already had a close bond as in 1999 Cerys Matthews and Sir Tom Jones, had duetted together on the festive hit 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'. Sir Tom with Kelly Jones, Cerys Matthews and the late Stuart Cable at the launch of The Pop Factory TV studio in Porth (Image: SOUTH WALES ECHO ) Article continues below Steve continued: "We were out with them in Ronnie Scott's one night, I was her manager, and she went to the toilet and Tom said, 'Hey, boyo, I think she fancies you.' "I'm like, 'Get out. Get away from it.' I went to the toilet, and he said to her, 'I think your manager fancies you.' No conversation happened, and that's how we ended up together." Now, after 14 years of marriage the couple are raising five beautiful children in their blended family . Cerys Matthews and her husband Steve Abbott got married in 2011 after being set up by Sir Tom Jones (Image: Western Mail ) The pair's relationship is built on their shared interests, one of which is of course music, and Steve says that he and the 'Mulder and Scully' hitmaker both value meaningful lyrics over melody in songs. Speaking to BANG Showbiz, he explained: "A great song with great lyrics, oh my goodness. I'll always listen to the lyrics. Article continues below "Some of the radio shows I listen to, you get a great tune that starts, and then the lyrics, 'I want to be me / I want to be free / Can I be free? I want to be me / That's what I want to be.' I'm like, 'Oh my God. Bloody awful lyrics.' I just can't listen to it. "Actually, my wife Cerys is the same, the lyric is so important. The melody is important but having a great lyric is so important."
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Tom Jones will feature in a new series of BBC's In My Own Words
Tom Jones will feature in a new series of BBC's In My Own Words The series takes a closer look into some of the UK's leading creative minds including musicians, comedians, artists and authors, as they recount stories from their careers and lives (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones, The Day Of The Jackal author Frederick Forsyth and Scottish crime writer Val Mcdermid are among the creatives who will feature in a new series of the BBC's In My Own Words. The series takes a closer look into some of the UK's leading creative minds including musicians, comedians, artists and authors, as they recount stories from their careers and lives. Made up of single films, the BBC Arts episodes include personal testimonies and archived footage to explore their passions and the influencing factors that shaped their lives. Sir Tom, best known for hits like It's Not Unusual and Delilah, will revisit places that shaped his life, including the first house he ever owned. He said: "Taking the time to look back at some of the extraordinary things that have happened in my life for In My Own Words has been really enjoyable and thought-provoking. "Some of the archive I'd not seen before and watching snippets of those past times, places, styles and struggles brought home how lucky I am. Article continues below "Being able to spend the day in the first house I ever owned brought back so many memories... I hope everyone enjoys watching it as much as I did making it." British thriller writer and journalist Forsyth, who wrote The Odessa File and The Dogs Of War, also joins the line-up – recounting his career from being the youngest RAF pilot to a foreign correspondent, BBC reporter and MI6 informant. He said: "Having spent my career telling other people's stories, I now find myself in the unusual position of subject rather than storyteller. "It has reminded me of the incredible luck I have had, the fork in the road moments, and the deep gratitude I feel for having been part of it." McDermid, who is best known for her novels that follow the psychological profiler Dr Tony Hill, will also be seen opening up about the real-life inspirations behind her novels. She said: "I'm so accustomed to living my life forwards - the next book, the next festival, the next gig, the next holiday - so this opportunity to look back was a welcome change. It recalled people and places with an unexpected vividness that I hope communicates itself to the viewers." Article continues below The series will also feature artists Cornelia Parker, known for her contemporary installations, and Yinka Shonibare who is known for exploring the likes of cultural identity through his art. Shonibare said: "I found seeing the images of my past life amusing, surprising and emotional. The past is never quite as one imagines it to be." Mark Bell, commissioning editor for BBC Arts, said: "In My Own Words shows us the myriad paths that the creative life can follow – from a farming childhood to conceptual art, cold war journalism to blockbuster thriller writing, the Welsh Valleys to superstardom – and the remarkable combination of talent and tenacity that goes into making art.
Belfast Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Welsh singer Tom Jones will feature in a new series of BBC's In My Own Words
Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones, The Day Of The Jackal author Frederick Forsyth and Scottish crime writer Val Mcdermid are among the creatives who will feature in a new series of the BBC's In My Own Words.
