One Year To Go Until The Urdd National Eisteddfod Comes To Pencoed

As the sun sets on a successful Urdd National Eisteddfod in Flintshire, the 12 month countdown has begun until the showpiece Welsh language youth festival comes to Bridgend County Borough in May 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Up to 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the celebration of literature, music and performing arts when it is held at Bridgend College’s Pencoed Campus between 29 May and 3 June 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event is predicted to benefit the local economy to the tune of £6m, with visitors staying locally, enjoying other attractions in the county borough, using local transport and shopping locally. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bridgend County Borough Council Leader Mel Nott OBE said: “The Urdd National Eisteddfod provides a unique opportunity to celebrate our heritage, our future, and the amazing talents of our young people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This prestigious event generates wall-to-wall media coverage for a whole week, and on behalf of the council I would like to say how much we are looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to the county borough next year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Children from several Bridgend County Borough schools travelled to Flint during the Whitsun holiday to compete in this year’s Urdd National Eisteddfod, and it is hoped that even more local schools will make the much shorter journey to take part in Pencoed next year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as the traditional music, dance, literature, performance and visual arts competitions that take place on-stage in the Eisteddfod pavilion, visitors to the Urdd National Eisteddfod can also find hundreds of colourful stalls around the ‘Maes’ that offer a range of fun, activities and entertainment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Nott added: “With so much going on, the Urdd National Eisteddfod offers a fantastic family day out. There will be a lot to look forward to next year, but before then there is a huge amount of work being done behind the scenes by the various local committees that are organising Urdd 2017.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Several local fundraising groups have been set up ahead of Urdd 2017, with volunteers working extremely hard to raise the necessary funds to put on the event. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each fundraising group has a target – for example, the Maesteg group is aiming to raise £25,000 – and they are putting on a range of imaginative initiatives to help raise funds. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To find out more about upcoming fundraisers, or if you would like to get involved with one of the local committees please contact Jordan Morgan-Hughes by emailing Jordan@urdd.org ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Urdd National Eisteddfod is just one element of the varied work carried out by the Urdd. They have almost 4,000 members locally and arrange over 50 events and activities each year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​