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The Cambrian Railway Partnership has appointed Deborah Justice as its new development officer to connect local people with their railway through a variety of community-led initiatives.
 
The partnership has been in existence for more than 20 years, covering a wide area, spanning 120 miles and 34 railway stations from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and along the Wales coast to Pwllheli.
 
Deborah brings a wealth of experience in community engagement and development, making her ideally suited to drive forward projects that promote social inclusion, sustainable travel and regional tourism.
 
Her appointment comes at an exciting time for the partnership, as it welcomes a new host organisation, Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), who also host the Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership.
 
PAVO has been supporting the third sector in Powys for more than 25 years with activity focusing on volunteering, good governance, sustainable funding and engagement and influencing.
 
Excited about her new role, Deborah said: “I am looking forward to working with community groups and organisations up and down the Cambrian Line to develop community-led projects.”
 
Partnership chairperson, Neil Scott added: “Transport for Wales funds the Cambrian Railway Partnership to deliver its wider vision for community rail and will support the partnership, alongside Community Rail Network, to ensure that local voices are heard and community aspirations are met through collaborative projects with stakeholders across the region.”
 
Clair Swales, PAVO chief executive, said: “As the new host organisation for the Cambrian Railway Partnership, PAVO is proud to play a key role in driving community-led initiatives that champion social inclusion and sustainable travel along the Cambrian Line.
 
“Deborah’s expertise in community engagement will be a vital asset as we strengthen connections between local communities and the railway and we are excited to see the positive impact her work will have on both the communities and users of the Cambrian Line.”
 
To get involved in the partnership and its activities, contact Deborah at [email protected] .

Developments on the Montgomery Canal in Powys and Shropshire and future plans will be in the spotlight at a meeting in Newtown next month.
 
The Montgomery Canal Forum is being held at Hafan Yr Afon, Newtown on Friday, April 4 at 2.30pm. Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust is extending an open invitation to anyone interested in the restoration and development of the canal with its social, economic and environmental benefits for present and future generations.
 
Presentations will be made on restoration work in Shropshire where volunteers are restoring a canal section which has been derelict for 80 years.
 
A Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal has raised more than £1 million from private individuals, companies and charitable trusts.
 
Restoration in Powys includes a multi-million pound Levelling-Up project to build new bridges and safeguard ecology with new nature reserves.
 
The Inland Waterways Association’s Sustainable Boating Group will give a presentation on ‘Boating into the Future’.
 
There will be an opportunity to discuss any issue concerning the future of the canal and what it can contribute to the area.

The 2025 Royal Welsh Spring Festival will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells on May 17 and 18.
 
A fantastic celebration of rural life, smallholding and countryside traditions, this weekend event offers something for all ages. Whether you’re an animal enthusiast, a food lover or simply looking for a great family day out, the festival promises a wonderful experience for everyone.

At the heart of the festival lies its livestock and equine competitions, with more than 600 classes showcasing sheep, pigs, goats, and cattle, many of which highlight traditional, rare and native breeds.
 
Entries are now open and competitors can view the schedules and enter online via https://rwas.wales/smallholding-and-countryside-festival/ . Entries close on Wednesday, April 3.

The event will host qualifiers for some of the UK’s most esteemed equestrian competitions, including the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) Royal International Horse Show, Senior Showing and Dressage Ltd (SSADL), British Show Pony Society (BSPS) and British Show Horse Association (BSHA) London International Horse Show.

The Premier Open Dog Show returns, offering competitors the chance to qualify for Crufts 2026. This prestigious event boasts rosettes, prizemoney and high-quality pet food prizes for the top dogs.
 
Postal entries close on Tuesday, April, 8 and online entries close on Tuesday, April 29. Visit the FDS website for schedules and entry details.

The festival has a diverse line-up of family-friendly attractions. Gain expert insights into the smallholding lifestyle with talks and demonstrations from the Glamorgan Smallholders networking and support group in the Smallholders Centre. Browse the agricultural tradestands to stock up on essentials, from buckets to farm machinery.
 
The Country Life Area is a hub of activities featuring the Premier Open Dog Show, Panic Family Circus, The Woodville Medieval Re-enactment Group, a petting farm, a donkey encounter, forestry competitions and sporting and countryside activities. They are all set to live music from the bandstand.
 
The Festival Display Ring will feature Joseph’s Amazing Camels, the Gentle Giants Shire Horse Display Team, Show Jumping and Working Hunter competitions, Scurry Driving and Meirion Owen with his sheepdogs.
 
Watch wool handling and blade shearing competitions, alongside demonstrations from the Gwent Guild of Spinners and Weavers, a vintage shearing display and wool-related tradestands in the Meirionnydd Shearing Centre. Competition entries open in late March.

No visit to a Royal Welsh event would be complete without indulging in Wales’ finest food and drink. Sample exquisite produce in the renowned Food Hall or enjoy a meal at one of the many food stalls in the Welsh Food Village, Gwledd | Feast.

Shopping enthusiasts can explore a vast array of tradestands, offering everything from rural essentials and artisan produce to handcrafted goods and countryside attire.

Conveniently located where the A470 and A483 meet in Builth Wells, the Royal Welsh Showground is accessible from all major routes. The festival is dog-friendly and offers free onsite parking, ensuring a stress-free experience for visitors.

Clare Britton, events co-ordinator at Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, is busy planning what promises to be one of the stand-out events in the Heritage Railway calendar for 2025 - the ‘Railway 200 – FR Platinum Jubilee Weekend’.
 
This exciting event, from June 19 to 22, will celebrate two momentous landmarks. 2025 marks both the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway - part of the national ‘Railway 200’ celebrations - and the 70th anniversary of the resumption of passenger trains on the Ffestiniog Railway under the new regime.
 
Spanning the summer solstice, it promises an action-packed long weekend, celebrating 70 years of running trains in the new era with a mix of nostalgia and looking forward to the future.
 
Spread over four days, there are trains recreating different eras of the Ffestiniog, opportunities to ride on the Welsh Highland, the chance to spend some time at Boston Lodge Works, the lynch pin of the railway and to be there for the grand cavalcade!
 
This ‘200 Wheels on the Cob’ cavalcade will undoubtedly be the highlight of the weekend, taking place on Sunday, June 22. This will be a cavalcade of Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways’ engines throughout the years, lining up in formation across the iconic Cob embankment.
 
Clare first came to Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways as a child and has fond memories of visiting with her parents, then later, as a volunteer.
 
Thursday, June 19 will be a normal busy day on both railways but visitors are advised to arrive early. There will be extra services from Blaenau at 5.35pm and 8.50pm that connect with the Conwy Valley TfW service.
 
The event begins with Simplex, ‘Mary Ann’ crossing the Cob, recreating the exciting day back in 1955 and there is a chance to go for a ride to Boston Lodge and savour this historic moment.
 
Next day, Friday, the early bird trains for the late 1970s/early ’80s make a return so visitors can join the 7am service hauled by diesel ‘Upnor Castle’. There will be lots of memories from the 60s with trains to Minffordd and Tan y Bwlch.
 
Whilst the Ffestiniog is back in the 60s, Hunslets ‘Linda’ & ‘Blanche’ will take a ‘Ladies Day Out to Caernarfon. Some special event opportunities will also take place so that visitors can experience a trip on an infrastructure train or take a ‘Moelwyn’ hauled inspection train to Dduallt.
 
There will also be an early evening train, hauled by Merddin Emrys and Prince, running non-stop from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog, in both directions.
 
Those who missed the ‘Early Bird’ on Friday will have another chance on Saturday, this time steam hauled. This service should give a good view of a spectacular ‘200 wheel’ goods train which you cross at Tanygrisiau.
 
More trains from the 60s and then, in the afternoon, on to the 70s with some careful recreations of crossing trains at Dduallt, recreating those ‘over and under’ photographs snapped on Kodak Instamatics back in the day!
 
Linda will be running one trip up to Minffordd and one trip to Tan y Bwlch with a 1950s style flying flea, made up of four-wheel carriages and bogies just like the relief trains of days gone by.
 
There are two evening services to Blaenau or for those who would rather have a pint and a chat, Spooners will be open along with ‘The Top Yard Arms’ bar at Boston Lodge.
 
Sunday, the last day of the event, promises to be extra special as the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland join the country to celebrate 200 years of railways, with the ‘200 Steam Wheels on the Cob’ spectacle, a Grand Cavalcade from Boston Lodge to Porthmadog.

The locos will be in order of preservation-era milestone and there will be a few opportunities to have a once in a lifetime part in this epic spectacular. People can take part in a special event auction on Sunday, May 4, where a selection of cavalcade footplate passes will be going under the hammer.
 
Aside from the cavalcade, there will be a wide variety of services to entertain, including a special ‘Snowdonia Star’ from Caernarfon to join and watch the cavalcade.
 
Boston Lodge will be open throughout the weekend to ticket holders with exhibits and stalls, locos under restoration, footplate rides and a chance to look at some of the changes that have taken place, thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
 
Refreshments and the ‘Top Yard Bar’ will be on hand to provide food and drink! Spooner’s Café and Bar and Tan y Bwlch tearooms will also be open to keep visitors fed and watered.
 
Tickets and full details regarding the weekend will be available on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway’s website - www.festrail.co.uk .

A famous landmark building in the pretty Mid Wales market town of Llanidloes reopened on St David’s Day as self-contained accommodation for group holidays, weddings and corporate gatherings.
 
The Trewythen, in Great Oak Street, which offers four star accommodation, has eight uniquely designed, en-suite bedrooms, able to accommodate up to 20 guests, a professional kitchen, large dining area and separate living room.
 
The elegant, Georgian property also has a private courtyard area with a dining dome and outdoor seating, limited parking and storage space for walking and cycling equipment. Well behaved dogs are welcome.
 
There is also a large public car park to the rear of the building which includes four electric charging points.
 
The historic, Grade ll listed building was previously home to Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen, a four star restaurant with rooms, which closed on October 31 last year due to the challenging economic climate for the hospitality industry.
 
However, after analysing booking patterns, parent company, Cambrian Training Company, based in Welshpool, has identified a gap in the market for self-catering accommodation for groups.
 
The new business is managed by Catherine Isaac, who previously worked at Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen and she is looking forward to welcoming groups to Llanidloes.
 
“When we analysed bookings at Chartists 1770, we saw that most of them were corporate or family groups for meetings, weddings and other special occasions,” she said. “Most enquiries were for five or six rooms, which we were often unable to provide due to individual bookings.
 
“Llanidloes is the ideal place in the middle of Wales for people from the north and south and across the border in England, to gather for business meetings and family functions.
 
“There is definitely a gap in the market for self-contained, self-catering accommodation for groups of people who will have access to a professional kitchen if they wish to cook meals during their stay.
 
“We have received fantastic feedback from the local community who think it’s a brilliant idea to be offering this type of accommodation in the town. We already have a wedding group booked in for August and I’m in discussion for a Christmas family gathering.
 
“The new business was officially launched on Saturday and we are delighted with the interest generated already. I am looking forward to welcoming people to the business, which I think will be good for Llanidloes. I am also happy to show people around the accommodation before they book.”
 
The accommodation is set over three floors, with one, large, double bedroom suite on the ground floor and seven, large, bright, en-suite double or family bedrooms on the upper floors. The rooms are all named after important local landmarks and incorporate period features including fireplaces.
 
Bookings are made by telephoning Tel: 01686 411333 or by emailing: [email protected] .  Visit the website https://www.trewythenhotel.wales/ for more information.
 
The first town on the River Severn and gateway to the Cambrian Mountains, Llanidloes offers more than 30 walking routes that link to the surrounding villages of Llangurig, Llandinam and Trefeglwys.
 
Pumlumon, the highest mountain in the Cambrian Mountains and source of the Rivers Severn and Wye, is a popular destination for walkers and lies under 24 miles to the west.

Inspired by St Non – celebrated on 2 March as the mother of St David - and in recognition of the rise in trend of female group travel, Visit Wales has introduced four new female-focused itineraries to their website. These itineraries encourage female groups to come feel the hwyl in Wales, emphasising wellbeing, adventure, and multi-generational get-togethers and tapping into the growing trend of ‘girl gang’ breaks. 

Female group travel has become a key travel trend for 2025. Visit Wales insights show us:

• The hashtag #GirlTrip has been viewed more than 7m times on TikTok in the last 120 days.
  
• On Pinterest, “Girls Trip” has seen a 20% year on year increase and 38% increase in mentions across social platforms - as well as spawning millions of the ‘when the girls trip leaves the group chat’ memes.

Read Visit Wales' full update on this here.

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The National Tourism Awards for Wales (NTAW) ceremony will take place on Thursday, 27 March at Venue Cymru, Llandudno. This marks the first time the awards have been held since 2018, offering a platform to recognise and celebrate excellence in Welsh tourism, hospitality, and events.

There are still a few tickets available for the event which is open to all tourism businesses or events who wish to enjoy this prestigious evening of celebration. Get your tickets on the NTAW website.

Highlights of the event:

• Celebrate excellence
• Network with industry leaders
• Special performances: The evening will feature performances that celebrate Welsh culture and talent, including Welsh of the West End group who reached the semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent and Band Pres Llareggub, who bring a new modern twist to the age-old tradition of brass bands from the slate mining villages of North Wales.
  
  

For further information please email [email protected].

A list of the finalists and sponsors can be found on the NTAW website.

Join the National Tourism Awards for a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and network before the new tourism season begins.
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Bydd seremoni Gwobrau Twristiaeth Cenedlaethol Cymru (NTAW) yn cael ei chynnal ddydd Iau, 27 Mawrth yn Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Dyma’r tro cyntaf i’r gwobrau gael eu cynnal ers 2018, gan gynnig llwyfan i gydnabod a dathlu rhagoriaeth mewn twristiaeth, lletygarwch a digwyddiadau Cymreig.

Mae ychydig o docynnau ar gael o hyd ar gyfer y digwyddiad sy’n agored i bob busnes twristiaeth neu ddigwyddiad sy’n dymuno mwynhau’r noson fawreddog hon o ddathlu.  Mynnwch eich tocynnau ar wefan GTCC.
Uchafbwyntiau'r digwyddiad:

• Dathlu ragoriaeth
• Rhwydweithio ag arweinwyr diwydiant
• Perfformiadau arbennig: Bydd y noson yn cynnwys perfformiadau sy’n dathlu diwylliant a thalent Cymru, gan gynnwys Welsh of the West End a gyrhaeddodd rownd gynderfynol Britain’s Got Talent a Band Pres Llareggub, sy’n dod â thro modern newydd i draddodiad oesol bandiau pres o bentrefi glofaol Gogledd Cymru.
  
  

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, ynglyn a’r gwobrau e-bostiwch [email protected]

Mae rhestr o'r rhai sydd wedi cyrraedd y rownd derfynol a'r noddwyr i'w gweld ar wefan GTCC.

Ymunwch â ni am gyfle gwych i ddathlu a rhwydweithio cyn i'r tymor twristiaeth newydd ddechrau.

Award winning Shrewsbury caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure will be promoting Wales as a holiday destination and serving up traditional Welsh food to celebrate St David’s Day on Saturday.
 
The Shrewsbury based company, which also has sales centres in Machynlleth and Stourport-on-Sevem, will be flying the Welsh flag, handing out daffodils and serving up Welsh food favourites in its Love Coffee café and restaurant on March 1.
 
Salop Leisure always makes a special effort to celebrate St David’s Day because of the company’s important links with tourism in Mid Wales, which is at the heart of the business.
 
To bring a taste of Wales to the celebrations, Love Coffee will be serving up a special menu including leek and potato soup, bara brith and Welsh cakes.
 
St David’s Day also marks the traditional opening of the new tourism season, with caravan holiday home parks across Mid Wales welcoming back owners after a winter break.
 
Salop Leisure invests thousands of pounds every year promoting tourism in Mid Wales to existing owners and prospective buyers of holiday homes, touring caravans and motorhomes.
 
The company supplies caravan holiday homes and luxury lodges to more than 200 parks across Mid Wales and the Heart of England.
 
Salop Leisure’s co-managing director Dylan Roberts said: “St David’s Day is always an important date in the company’s calendar because Wales has always been at the heart of our business.
 
“It’s an opportunity to not only celebrate the country’s patron saint but also to promote the beautiful landscape and attractions that Wales has to offer visitors.”
 
Mr Roberts, who is also chairman of MWT Cymru, the independent organisation representing 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia, added: “Mid Wales is one of the most popular destinations in the UK with people looking to buy a caravan holiday home.
 
“Staycations in Mid Wales are important to the region’s economy and popular with people who want to escape to the wonderful seaside and into the fantastic countryside.”
 
Zoe Hawkins, chief executive of MWT Cymru, thanked Salop Leisure for continuing to promote the region as a tourist destination.
 
“Salop Leisure does a fantastic job to help us put the stunning Mid Wales countryside and coast on the map in two of our key target markets, the West Midlands and North West England,” she said. “Visitor surveys always highlight how important the caravan and camping sector is to the economy of Mid Wales.”

Andy Rowland, former ecodyfi managing director, with Aberystwyth University students, Spencer Voss and Emma Jones.

ecodyfi, the Machynlleth-based organisation for green energy and community development in the Dyfi valley, has changed its name to become the Dyfi Biosphere.
 
The name change coincide with a team of Aberystwyth University students sorting through ecodyfi’s records for donation to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
 
“The records cover an important period of the environmental movement in Wales and our students, who are all studying for our Master’s in Archives and Records Management, are gaining valuable professional experience by preparing them for permanent preservation,” said Dr Sarah Higgins, senior lecturer in the university’s Department of Information Studies.
 
ecodyfi was established in 1998 by representatives from Powys County Council, Dulas Ltd and many other partners with the aim of strengthening the local economy through a range of innovative activities.
 
These were to include sustainable tourism, sustainable energy and wellbeing, while bringing people together and developing a sense of place.
 
From 2009, ecodyfi also held the secretariat of the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere, the only Biosphere in Wales and one of more than 700 across the world. This status covers a larger area from Tywyn to Llanymawddwy and from Carno to Aberystwyth.
 
Andy Rowland, ecodyfi’s managing director since the start, retired last year. At that point, the ecodyfi board decided to invest its reserves in employing staff to develop the Biosphere and the company changed its name to Biosffer Dyfi.
 
“We are very pleased that Andy’s years of service to the local community have left ecodyfi in a very good position and we look forward to building on that as we develop the Dyfi Biosphere,” said Martin Ashby, co-chair of the Biosphere board.
 
The Biosphere is a learning space for sustainable development and has inspired a range of projects which have explored how economic activity can work with environmental aims, many of them carried out by ecodyfi.
 
These have included social prescribing for outdoor health, citizen science, the visual arts and storytelling, tourism and farming. Its most recent project, Tyfu Dyfi, focused on developing the local food economy.
 
“We are the only Biosphere in Wales,” said Jane Powell, former chair of the Biosphere partnership who with James Cass has taken over the co-ordinating role. “These are challenging times and it is good to be part of UNESCO with its international network of learning and research.”
 
Last year, the Biosphere received a £30,000 grant from Welsh Government as well as consultancy from the UK Commission for UNESCO which allowed it to run public activities, upgrade its website and social media and start work on a fundraising plan.
 
This archiving exercise is expected to connect with a UK-wide project called Oral History of the Environmental Movement based at Royal Holloway University London.
 
The Biosphere website is at www.dyfibiosphere.wales and www.biosfferdyfi.cymru.

​“If touring caravans haven’t been used for a period of time, it is vitally important that the owners get them checked out thoroughly and possibly serviced,” said Salop Leisure chairman Tony Bywater.
 
“If a touring caravan has been stored in the same place for a long time and not been moved occasionally, it’s possible that the tyres will bulge and then crack when inflated.
 
“In addition, over the years, the company has come across a range of common problems relating to the storage of touring caravans, including issues with the leisure batteries and spiders and other insects blocking gas and water pipes.
 
“Our advice is to prepare for your holiday well in advance because we want to ensure that the caravans are safe for the owners to use and enjoy this year.
 
“Touring caravans give so much pleasure to couples and families, but it’s essential that they are serviced every year before they are used. We service thousands of caravans in our Shrewsbury workshops and our staff are always on hand to offer advice.”
 
For advice about servicing a touring caravan or motorhome, contact Salop Leisure’s service team on Tel: 01743 282400.