“This is not only a significant moment for the Culinary Association of Wales and ICC Wales, but also our nation as we showcase the rich culinary heritage and innovation to Wales,” he told delegates “We understand the importance of this prestigious event bringing together chefs, culinary experts and industry leaders from across the globe to share knowledge, experience and passion for culinary arts. “In Wales, we are inspired by our traditions but also fuelled by forward thinking vision. The next Worldchefs Congress & Expo will be a blend of these two forces. Expect to see the finest expressions of Welsh cuisine and global flavours, trends and innovations that will inspire future generations of chefs. “We are committed to celebrating an event that not only celebrates our culinary diversity, but also addresses the pressing issues of sustainability, education and the future of our industry. “Wales will open its arms to welcome each of you to our beautiful country, where you will experience our hospitality, breathtaking landscapes and, of course, world class food. “We are deeply grateful for the trust bestowed upon us and we promise to make the next Worldchefs Congress & Expo a truly unforgettable experience for everyone. We look forward to working with Worldchefs and all of its members to ensure the success of this great event.” Mr Watkins was accompanied by Peter Fuchs, group culinary director of The Celtic Collection and ICC Wales, Danielle Bounds, ICC Wales sales director, Vicky Watkins, CAW office manager and Stephanie Belcher, CAW young chef ambassador. Danielle said: “Arwyn has worked tirelessly over the last six years to bid for this event to come to Wales. It has been a pleasure supporting him and, having learned so much here in Singapore, I am more excited than ever to welcome this international event to ICC Wales in 2026 where our conference theme will be Pasture, Passion, Plate. “We cannot wait to showcase the very best of Welsh hospitality on such a prestigious global stage.” Worldchefs Congress & Expo brings together chef delegates and professionals from across the five continents to network and expand their professional bonds. The event programme delivers presentations and workshops from leading experts in the industry, the Worldchefs Educators’ Forum, the Bill Gallagher Young Chefs Forum, the Global Chefs Challenge culinary competitions, an international trade exhibition and diverse networking activities.
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Tickets cannot be bought for church performances but buying a Music Trail wristband will automatically enter bookers into a draw to win tickets. Church performances will be live-streamed on Other Voices YouTube channel and simultaneously streamed to the big screen at Mwldan in Cardigan The performances will be later broadcast on TV and on BBC iPlayer and RTÉ Player via media partners BBC Wales and RTÉ. The event is presented by BBC DJ and Other Voices regular Huw Stephens. “It’s a huge honour for us to welcome James Dean Bradfield to Cardigan,” said Dilwyn Davies, chief executive of Mwldan, co-producer of Other Voices Cardigan. “He’s one of the greatest artists of contemporary Welsh music and his performance in the church captures what is so magical about Other Voices; bringing incredible performers to Aberteifi.” Other Voices Cardigan takes place between October 31 and November 2 and will feature an more than 100 performances and conversations taking place across the town. Wristbands are just £50 and are available from www.othevoices.ie and via Mwldan’s box office. Other Voices Cardigan festival is formed of three core strands. A three-day Music Trail programme around the town showcasing the best of emerging Welsh and Irish talent. Three days of inspiring discussion as part of the Clebran Sessions and new for 2024, Clebran on the Trail, conversations with the musicians playing the festival. Two nights of intimate live headline performances in St Mary’s Church from some of the music’s brightest voices, hosted by Huw Stephens and broadcast live online and later on TV. The full festival schedule is now available to view on the festival App for iPhone and Android, available to download via Apple and Google Play (search ‘Other Voices’). St Mary’s Church line-up includes Charlotte Day Wilson, James Dean Bradfield, Nadine Shah, Victor Ray, Fionn Regan, Bill Ryder-Jones, Fabiana Palladino, Georgia Ruth and Melys. The Music Trail line-up: ADJUA, Big Sleep, Chubby Cat, Cynefin, David Kitt, Don Leisure, DUG, em koko, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Fears, Filmore!, Gillie, girlfriend., Lila Zing, Lleuwen, Megan Nic Ruairí, Melin Melyn, M(h)aol, Minas, Morgana, Mohammad Syfkhan, Mr Phormula, New Jackson, Niamh Bury, Niques, OLIVE HATAKE, Otto Aday, PARCS, People & Other Diseases, Phil Kieran, Po Griff, Rona Mac, Sage Todz, Search Results, Skunkadelic, Slate, Tara Bandito, The Family Battenberg, The Fully Automatic Model, The Gentle Good, Tiny Leaves and Virgins. Clebran speakers: Billy Mag Fhloinn, Carwyn Graves, Carys Eleri, Christopher Kissane, Darren Chetty, Delyth Jewell, Edwina Guckian, James Dovey, Laura McAllister, Lowri Cunnington Wynn, Makeba Nicholls, Marianne Kennedy, Max Zanga, Noel Mooney, Philip King, Professor Diarmait Mac Giolla Chríost, Séan McCabe, The Dingle Druid, Julí Ní Mhaoileóin and Tumi Williams. Clebran on The Trail speakers: Amy O'Brien, Constance Keane (Fears / M(h)aol), David Peregrine, Archdeacon Eileen Davies, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Gareth Bonello (The Gentle Good), Gareth Stewart, Georgia Ruth, Lleuwen and Phil Keiran. Other Voices Cardigan is staged with the support and investment of Welsh Government and Government of Ireland, The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and The Department of Foreign Affairs’ Reconciliation Fund. The festival is produced by South Wind Blows in partnership with Mwldan and Triongl. This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, supported by Ceredigion County Council. Other Voices Cardigan will be filmed for future television broadcast on BBC Wales and RTÉ, and on BBC iPlayer and RTÉ Player. Visit www.othervoices.ie for more information and to book tickets.
“These three eras beg the overall question: can governments comprehensively steer and sustain a path towards racial justice?” Rob Phillips, from the Welsh Political Archive, said: "We are very proud to be able to welcome Professor Charlotte Williams to deliver this year's lecture at such a vital time in Welsh politics. “The lecture is the pinnacle of the Political Archive's calendar and will be an opportunity to look forward to future developments while we celebrate the great political collections in the library, preserved for the benefit of the people. " A graduate of Bangor University and now Emeritus Professor in the School of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences there, Professor Williams retired recently. She was Professor of Social Work and Deputy Dean at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in Melbourne, Australia. She holds Honorary Fellow appointments at Wrexham University and the University of South Wales. Alongside her academic career here and in Australia, Professor Williams is known for her ground breaking text, ‘A Tolerant Nation?’. This text explores ethnic diversity in Wales and her award-winning memoir of growing up mixed race in Wales, ‘Sugar and Slate’, won Wales Book of the Year 2003. The Welsh Political Archive was established in 1983 to co-ordinate the collection of documentary evidence of all kinds about politics in Wales. It collects records and papers of political parties, politicians, semi-political organisations, campaigns and pressure groups, leaflets, pamphlets and other printed ephemera, posters and photographs and websites and tapes of radio and television programmes. Its work is not limited to a specific section of the library. The archive's annual lecture was first held in 1987 and a number of academics, journalists, historians and politicians have had the opportunity to speak. Previous lecturers include Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos, Lord Roberts of Conwy, John Davies, Lord Bourne, Jeremy Bowen and Professor Angela John. Tickets for the event and for the online stream can be ordered free of charge on the library website: https://www.library.wales/ . Following the event the full lecture text will be available on https://www.library.wales/welshpoliticalarchive . Lisa and John Brant, owners of La Crisalida Wellness at Maesmawr Hall. A picturesque Mid Wales hotel has been transformed into a health and wellness centre, offering retreats to customers in the tranquil Upper Severn Valley. Lisa and John Brant purchased the 20-bedroomed Maesmawr Hall Hotel, set in four acres of grounds at Caersws, near Newtown, in February and ran it as a traditional hotel until August to honour existing bookings. Now the couple are calling on 12 years’ experience of running La Crisalida Retreats, a hugely popular health and wellbeing retreat near Alicante in Spain, to bring the same successful concept to Mid Wales. Managers from La Crisalida Wellness at Maesmawr Hall, the hotel’s new name, have been on a learning visit to the Spanish retreat. The new retreat, which is open all year round, has a team of 20 staff and began welcoming guests last month. Guests choose their own arrival and departure dates, and the retreat also offers a limited number of day passes. Activities include yoga, rebounding, meditation, a range of workshops, creativity and exercise classes and guided walks, and a range of treatments is also available. The daily programme runs from 8am to 9pm and guests are served a plant based food and juices menu. Tailored packages are available for those suffering from burnout, in need of an immune system boost or looking for a health reset. To help promote the business, La Crisalida Wellness has joined MWT Cymru, an independent membership organisation representing around 550 tourism businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia (Eryri). Explorers in the field of lifestyle change and wellbeing, Lisa and John quit busy jobs in London, feeling unfulfilled and burnt out, to travel the world for six months. This time out helped them to dramatically change direction and transform their lives. Lisa has worked in the health sector for more than 25 years, most recently as an epidemiologist, after studying at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She also worked for the Health Protection Agency (now Public Health England) and NHS Blood and Transplant where she published scientific articles on infectious blood-borne diseases. She now follows a more alternative health route, integrating science, nutrition and other health options, teaching therapeutic hatha, yin yoga and mindfulness meditation. Lisa overcame health challenges related to endometriosis, pain management and the mental scars it leaves through the holistic health and wellbeing approach. A former actuary, John is an author, speaker and transformational coach. Passionate about helping others to find their own inspired path, he leads life makeover and mindset workshops, meditation and guided walks. A master trainer of Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP), he’s qualified in hypnosis, life coaching and the Demartini Method. The couple were all set to buy a property in North Wales to establish their first Welsh retreat, before the Covid pandemic scuppered their plans in 2020. “In 2023, we started to look again and came across Maesmawr Hall Hotel,” she said. “The location and venue work really well for a retreat. “Having done a degree in Archaeology and Geography, I love old buildings and that’s why we chose this beautiful, Grade II Listed property. Everything that we do here will respect and take care of this hall, the oldest part of which dates to 1535. “We believe that the programme we provide at La Crisalida Wellness offers people the opportunity to create optimal health and wellbeing. Some people will come for yoga and detox, some for a health reset, while others may be going through life change, such as redundancy, career move or divorce. “We offer a place where they can come and take time out from their busy lives -quietness provides clarity. People coming from London or other big cities are struck by how green and peaceful it is here. “Hopefully, bringing people in from a wider area will have a positive knock on effect to the local area and other local businesses which is what happened in Spain. We always try to work with local businesses. “We want not only our guests but also our staff to experience learning growth and development as part of our programme. We are proud that in Spain many of our staff have been promoted from junior to managerial positions in the past decade.” Historical Mid Wales attraction Strata Florida has enjoyed a wide range of courses and events during 2024, with only a few opportunities left this year to get involved with something new in a truly unique and spiritual setting. The former Cistercian abbey at Pontrhydfendigaid, near Tregaron, isn’t just a site of historical significance and importance, it’s also a place to visit to try new things and develop skills. On Saturday, October 26, from 10am to 4pm, Professor Dafydd Johnston will be sharing his in-depth work on Welsh poetry connected to Strata Florida, with particular focus on Gruffudd Gryg, Dafydd Nanmor, Hedd Wyn and T. Gwynn Jones, to name a few. The course, which costs £50, will be suitable for Welsh speakers or for advanced level learners. Including a guided tour of the Abbey and Graveyard of St Mary’s Church, the course will be a unique opportunity to discover literature within the landscape. On November 1 and 2, Dafydd Wyn Morgan’s Night Photography: An Introduction, returns following positive feedback. Only one place remains on this course, but more sessions are planned in 2025 with a cost of £60 for two evenings of instruction. On Saturday, November 23, Jaqcueline Yallop returns to lead a course , costing £40, specifically for creative writing about the darkness and its place in our lives. Rich with writing inspiration, Strata Florida is the ideal location to explore the theme of darkness due to its low light pollution and being less than a mile away from a Dark Skies Discovery Site. To end the year, there will be a free Carol Concert n St Mary’s Church on Wednesday, December 4 at 6pm the second year running, with the Choirs For Good Aberystwyth leading the songs. The evening will be open to all who wish to celebrate through music and singing together. Donations will be welcome to The Strata Florida Trust to continue vital work of preserving and restoring buildings. To find out more about the courses, visit https://www.strataflorida.org.uk or email [email protected] . The trust is restoring Mynachlog Fawr farmhouse and farm buildings, bringing new economic, social and cultural life to the area, whilst also celebrating Strata Florida’s unique landscape and history. A free ‘Mynachlog Fawr Exhibition’ is currently being held in a building on the site, giving visitors of all ages a chance to explore the social and agricultural history of the house and the local area. The exhibition also contains an interactive Virtual Histories educational experience, which allows visitors to travel back to see a day in the life of Mynachlog Fawr farm in 1947 and the abbey in 1238. Strata Florida Trust is a member of MWT Cymru, an independent organisation that represents around 550 tourism and hospitality businesses across Ceredigion, Powys and Southern Snowdonia (Eryri). For more information, visit https://www.mwtcymru.co.uk/ . One of the photographs taken on a previous night photography course.
At the Clip Corners launch are (from left) Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, National Library of Wales chief executive, Professor Urfan Khaliq, pro vice-chancellor and head of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Gareth Owen, deputy university librarian and assistant director and Dr Owain Roberts, director of collections and digital services. The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth has played a key role in giving people living in Cardiff access to hundreds of thousands of radio and television programmes from the archives of BBC Cymru Wales, ITV Cymru Wales and S4C. Clip Corners, which have computer terminals in comfortable places where anyone can see and listen to the variety of programmes available, have opened in Cardiff University’s Arts and Social Sciences Library as well as Glamorgan Archives. The Welsh Broadcast Archive is the first of its kind in the UK, tracing almost a century of broadcasting. It draws together material from the screen and sound collections of BBC Cymru Wales, ITV Cymru Wales, S4C and the National Library. By preserving, cataloguing and digitising this material and presenting it on a fully searchable website, the National Library is committed to making this extraordinary collection accessible to everyone. The establishment of Clip Corners will ensure that communities beyond the National Library will be able to see the entire archive in their local area. As part of this project, a diverse collection of 1,500 clips will also be curated and made available for anyone to view online and on social media. The Welsh Broadcasting Archive project was funded with £4.7 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, £1m from the Welsh Government and £1m from the National Library’s private funds. Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, National Library chief executive, said: "“As a library, we are dedicated to creating a closer link with the communities of Wales and to give people access to our collections in innovative ways. “This Clip Corner will mean that we will build on the engagement work that has already been taking place with local groups in Cardiff in order to bring people closer to their radio and television heritage." Andrew White, director of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales, said: "Broadcasting has played an important role in documenting the history of modern Wales. "It has also enabled us to look back and learn about our heritage through programmes such as The Dragon Has Two Tongues: A History of the Welsh in 1985 and has put Wales on the map with popular series such as Doctor Who, Keeping Faith and Hinterland . "It’s our privilege to support this important and progressive project which will protect and share the broadcasting heritage of Wales so that today's and future generations can appreciate, enjoy and learn from it for years to come." The new recipe Black Batch Rum. Award-winning Welsh Distillery, In the Welsh Wind, has launched a new recipe Black Batch Rum in its Eccentric Spirits range. Available in striking, redesigned bottles, the distillery has worked on a new, improved recipe, which is available at a special introductory price of £24 per bottle. “We’re really excited about the new look and reimagined liquid for Black Batch Rum,” said Ellen Wakelam, In the Welsh Wind Distillery co-founder. “It represents the start of a new chapter for the Eccentric Spirits brand, however the inspiration for the rum remains the same: tales of storms and shipwrecks from the Welsh coast. “We will be moving forward with the new look for the other spirits in the range over the coming year.” Black Batch Rum is already available direct to customers through a growing number of independent Welsh stockists, from the distillery shop at Tanygroes, near Cardigan and online through the website https://eccentricspirits.com/ . The spiced rum is also available to trade customers through wholesalers. Black Batch Rum is lightly spiced with orange, cinnamon and cloves. Rich caramel aromas intertwine with the bright zest of orange peel and a hint of burnt brown sugar, adding depth to the bouquet. Silky-smooth on the palate and bursting with molasses and soft toffee, the rum delivers sweet spice and a surprising yet harmonious sesame umami quality. The overall experience is rounded and full-bodied, with a lingering, gentle warmth suggesting refinement and balance. In the Welsh Wind is a member of MWT Cymru, an independent membership organisation representing around 550 tourism businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia. Work during the construction of the new Schoolhouse Bridge. Workers on The Schoolhouse Bridge restoration project on the Montgomery Canal have won a series of awards. The Institution of Civil Engineers’ West Midlands Region gave the Small Projects Award - for projects with a value up to £2 million - to Maccaferri, Montgomery Canal Reconstruction Ltd, a subsidiary of Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, Beaver Bridges, Macrete Ireland, MEA and Shropshire Council. Recognising the remarkable work to restore the bridge, the judges praised the innovative use of Macrete’s Flexiarch system alongside Maccaferri’s Terramesh soil embankments. They said the work reflected a commitment to the area’s cultural heritage and to enhance the local eco systems in a sustainable way. The same team was commended in the same organisation’s Heritage Awards. Completion of the bridge, originally demolished in the late 1960s, marked another milestone in work to close the ‘Shropshire Gap’ on the Montgomery Canal in Crickheath near Pant. Main contractor, Beaver Bridges of Shrewsbury, was highly commended by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Midlands) in the under £3m Project of the Year award for its work on Schoolhouse Bridge. The company was also named Bridge Contractor of the Year at the New Civil Engineer awards. Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust worked in partnership with other local canal charities to raise funds for the bridge through the Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal - www.localgiving.org/charity/restorethemontgomerycanal - and managed the reconstruction. Trust chairman Michael Limbrey said: “Our canal charities, which had spent so many years restoring the Montgomery Canal, faced a real problem at Schoolhouse Bridge. The old bridge carrying a country lane over the canal had been swept away perhaps 50 years before and the canal was now blocked by a road embankment. “Our team of volunteers designed a new bridge, obtained planning and technical approvals and arranged all the legal agreements. Over five years, we raised funds through a public appeal which received tremendous support from private individuals, businesses and charitable trusts across the country. “We were delighted what we were able to achieve through the enthusiastic support of the four specialist companies which have so deservedly been recognised by these awards. “Now the bridge is finished but the canal bed still has to be restored and filled with water once again. Our volunteer work parties have been hard at work since the contractors left and are making great progress in reshaping the canal channel and making it watertight. “The new bridge is part of a restoration which will bring boats back to the canal, joining Mid Wales to the national waterway network again with all the social and economic benefits that will bring. “We know from other reopened canals that boats bring life to a canal and that boaters support local shops and pubs. Like those other canals, the restoration will protect the historic locks and bridges and safeguard its valued flora and fauna.” Join one of the skills workshops being run by FFWHR. The Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways (FFWHR) are now offering an exciting new range of ‘Have a Go’ workshops where participants can learn a variety of different skills including painting, signwriting and welding. The workshops are open to those 16 or older who are looking to add to their CV with valuable hands-on skills training this autumn. Some restrictions apply due to the nature of the ground surface and activities of a working environment. Hosted on various dates in October and November, with future dates set to be confirmed soon, they will provide an opportunity for participants to learn and practice skills such as lathe work, welding, hot riveting, carriage painting and signwriting as well as an introduction to stripping down a locomotive. Iain Wilkinson, from the railways’ Boston Lodge Project team, said: “Our expert staff will start with some theory and explanations about what lies ahead but these events are very much hands on, giving participants the opportunity to practice their new skills in a safe and constructive environment. “We obviously hope they will enjoy themselves so much that they will want to return as a volunteer to apply their new skills on our amazing railway. These free workshops, however, come with no obligation at all; just come and have a go!” Workshops are provided free of charge thanks to the Interpretation & Boston Lodge Project, made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Ffestiniog Railway Society and FFWHR Trust. Find out more and book a free workshop visit https://www.festrail.co.uk/have-a-go-skills-workshops . The Magic Lantern Cinema. The Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn is planning an exciting programme of special films and events as part of the BFI Art of Action Season. The season, which runs from October to December, celebrates the incredible skill and creative energy that goes into making live action films that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Cinema manager Sara Hulls said: "We are so excited to be able to bring our audiences some absolutely brilliant films and special events, ranging from the 1926 classic silent film The General starring Buster Keaton to the recent The Raid 2 from Welsh writer and director Gareth Evans.” In addition to the films themselves, there will be other events alongside the screening. On October 20, the screening of the Buster Keaton classic will feature a live musical accompaniment by Andrew Harrison King. "Watching a classic Buster Keaton film in a cinema as old and iconic as The Magic Lantern is a thrill in itself but having a pianist there to play the score in time to the film means people will experience it just as they did all those decades ago when it was originally released,” added Sara. "Not only that, but Talyllyn Railway is offering ticket holders to The General a 20% discount on all steam train trips the following week." The audience can also take part in an Action Film Quiz after a screening of Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story or take part in a Martial Arts Workshop between two films - Polite Society and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. There is also the opportunity to learn the art of sword fighting at The Princess Bride Swashbuckling Party and enjoy a hilarious night of surf themed fun at the Point Break Cocktail Night. The Art of Action season is a BFI FAN initiative supported through National Lottery and The Magic Lantern has been supported with funding from Film Hub Wales. "Without the support of Film Hub Wales, many of the events and films we show at The Magic Lantern simply wouldn't happen,” said Sara. “Their support allows us to be more creative and adventurous with our programming and it's thanks to the years of working with them that our audiences for Welsh, foreign language and independent films have really grown and our regular audiences very much appreciate the eclectic range of films we show.” The Magic Lantern is a member of MWT Cymru, an independent membership organisation which represents around 550 tourism businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia (Eryri). |
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