The Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages boasts the biggest ever entry and the addition of the British Rally Championship. Image: BRC. Former Grand Prix racer Jos Verstappen, father of three-time Formula 1 world champion Max, is heading to Mid Wales this weekend to compete for the first time in a British rally. The flying Dutchman, who turned to rallying in 2022, will sensationally be running at 14th, having chosen the Llandrindod Wells-based Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages to make his UK debut. "We are very happy to come to Wales and the British Rally Championship," Verstappen said. "Renaud [Jamoul, co-driver] has done Wales Rally GB several times but, for me, these stages will be the first. "I only started rallying two years ago but only with tarmac events. After two test sessions in the wintertime in the south of France, we have decided to do our first proper gravel rally and, as Renaud has some really good memories in Wales, this rally was looking like the best one to start with. "There is no plan in terms of performance because it will be my first time on gravel but for sure the target is to improve and be as close as possible to the top guys. The entry field will be again really competitive, so we are looking forward [to it]." One of the most popular gravel rallies in the UK, the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages returns this Saturday, April 13, as the event celebrates its 50th anniversary. Sponsored by established racewear and accessory firm Rallynuts Motorsport for an eighth consecutive year, Midland Manor Motor Club has pulled out all the stops to create a truly world-class event which celebrates the past but embraces the future. Epic stages, such as Myherin and Sweet Lamb Hafren, remain, but the mileage has been upped from 45 to 62 without an increased entry fee - making this one of the longest single-day forest rallies in years. An entry of 180 cars, including world, European, American and multiple British rally champions, will tackle the event. Competitors from a staggering nine different championships will come together as the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages excitedly welcomes the Probite British Rally Championship for the very first time, bringing the best drivers in the country to Mid Wales. Their battle will be broadcast to millions of television screens in the weeks after the event with a one-hour highlights programme aired on ITV4 and streamed on ITVX. BRC crews will be joined by those from the Protyre BTRDA Rally Series, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, West Wales Rally Spares HRCR Stage Masters, T.C.S Plant Rally Challenge and Bowler Defender Challenge, while the Fuchs Lubricants British Historic Rally Championship returns for the first time since 2017. Single-make series, the MG3 Challenge and Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup, complete the roster, providing spectators an impressive variety of cars to watch. European Rally champion and World Rally regular Chris Ingram will pull away from the Metropole Hotel on Saturday morning as the top seed, as he bids to win his second British championship rally in a row following success on last month's North West Stages. "We got off to the perfect start in the North West and we aim to continue like that on gravel for round two,” he said. “The Severn Valley features some of the world’s best rally stages in the heart of Wales and I just can't wait to get going. "We are already enjoying the BRC challenge so much, and gravel will probably be even more fun. It all clicks when I’m driving a trusty Polo with Alex [Kihurani] calling the notes, but anything can happen in rallying. We’ll aim to consistently drive at our pace and avoid mistakes." Ingram is the favourite to win, but the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 ace won't have it easy with competition coming from all corners. Reigning Junior World Rally champion William Creighton and local driver Osian Pryce both gave Ingram a hard time on the first round and start just behind the Englishman in their Ford Fiesta Rally2 this time around. Also Fiesta mounted, four-time British champion and current leader of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, Keith Cronin, will be out to prove his pace on gravel is just as strong as Tarmac. He starts ahead of M-Sport driver Garry Pearson, who enters the Rallynuts for the first time since he won both the BTRDA and Welsh championship titles in 2021. Victor that year, Eliot Payne, is the highest seeded of this year's BTRDA runners, just ahead of 2022 Rallynuts winner Matthew Hirst, who starts first of the Welsh championship contenders. James Williams starts at eight, ahead of the stunning new Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 of Meirion Evans, while Callum Black completes the top-10 seeds in his Fiesta. The British Historic contingent is led away by the Mitsubishi Galant VR4 of George Lepley and Dale Bowen, with the likes of Nick Elliott's FIAT 131, Matt Robinson's Ford Escort MKII and Seb Perez's Porsche 911 chasing him down. Smaller-engine cars and the older historic category vehicles will be first onto the stages, with three spectacular viewing locations available to spectators. Each test is run twice, with Bonhams Cars Sarnau, just outside of Abbeycwmhir. starting proceedings at 8:39am and again at 2:11pm. Myherin is accessed from `The Arch` off Devil’s Bridge and runs at 9:53am and 3:03pm, with CiderOnline.com Hafren Sweet Lamb taking place at 10:59am and finally at 4:16pm, the last stage of the rally. There are plenty of opportunities to meet and mingle with the stars as well as see the cars, with the introduction of a free of charge autograph session on Friday evening at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells from 6:30pm. Spectators are also welcome at Saturday morning's event start and the finish, both at the Metropole Hotel, where the winners will be crowned. For more information on ticket prices, locations and timings, please visit www.rallynutsrally.co.uk/spectators. Follow the event’s social media feeds for all the latest news: www.facebook.com/RallynutsStagesRally and www.twitter.com/rallynutsstages .
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Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear in their Ford Fiesta R5. Image: Paul Mitchell Photography. Defending Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh rally champions Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear will be aiming for a third straight win on the 50th Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages which starts and finishes in Llandrindod Wells on Saturday, April 13. The series leaders will contest the event in their Delta Salvage/Witham Motorsport Ford Fiesta R5 facing stiff competition from the likes of Perry Gardener and Jack Bowen, who return to the series in their TNT AGRI Fiesta R5, and Dan O'Brien and Mark Glennerster, who finished second on round one in their O’Brien Group Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Hirst started his title defence in style with a commanding victory on the recent Get Jerky Rally North Wales, but there is a long way between now and what the Doncaster ace hopes will be a record-breaking fourth Pirelli Welsh title. Gardener is always quick in the Welsh forests and took home third-placed Pirelli Welsh points the last time he did the Rallynuts in 2022. Jack Bowen meanwhile will be aiming to extend his lead at the top of the OnThePaceNote / Restruct Welsh Junior co-drivers’ standings, having navigated for Simon Rogers on the opening round. Former Welsh Junior frontrunner O'Brien had a very close battle for position with James Giddings and Aled Davies (Fordpad/Enva/Sar Metals Mitsubishi Evo 9) last time out and the pair will be duelling for the top spot once again. Russ Thompson and Stephen Link scored maximum Pirelli Welsh points on last year’s Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally and return in their rapid Dunnow Plant Mitsubishi Evo 9. The 2019 championship runners up will be able to use the top end speed of their car to good effect on the fast and flowing stages and will be out for a win. David Tomlin would have taken third-placed points on Rally North Wales had he not got his Axon Ford Fiesta R5 stuck in the mud for three minutes. As his regular co-driver Keith Ashley is on Rallynuts Clerk of the Course duties, the Worcester driver will be partnered this time by Ian Beamond. The 2023 Welsh Challenge champions Martyn Andrews and Steve Greenhill return in their unmissable Opie Oils Subaru Impreza STi N12 and will be challenging for a top spot, as will Daniel Moss and Sam Davies in their Hurst Haylage Mitsubishi Evo 10. Rob Wilson won the Pirelli Welsh Junior, Challenge and class W13 titles in 2022 and finished runner up in the overall drivers’ standings. The Herefordshire youngster is back in his trusty Mitsubishi Evo 7, do-driven by Martin Haggett, and knows how to get the most out of the not-so-young car. The rally contains seven stages, totalling 62.31 stage miles. It starts from the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells at 8am on Saturday and has four stages -Sarnau, Tarennig, Myherin and Sweet Lamb - before service in Dolgellau. In the afternoon, there is the repeat of Sarnau, Myherin Main, which at 15.82 miles is the longest of the event, and Hafren Main, before the finish back in Llandrindod Wells at 5.35pm The rally will be live streamed on the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship’s and Special Stage TV’s Facebook pages during the event. For details about the championship and how to register visit: https://wnrc.wamc.org.uk/ Town criers from across the globe will converge on the ancient Mid Wales border town of Montgomery this autumn to put their vocal chords to the test in a prestigious annual competition. Montgomery Town Crier for the past 22 years, Sue Blower, has secured The Ancient & Honourable Guild of Town Criers (AHGTC) Guild Championships for her home town on from September 13-15, with support from the town council. Around 40 town criers are expected to arrive in the pretty former county town, which is overlooked by a castle, on Friday, September 13 for a reception in the Town Hall, followed by the competition next day and a church parade on the Sunday. Sue is now busy trying to raise the £5,000 she needs to stage the competition and is looking for sponsors to join Montgomery Town Council which has already pledged £1,000. Potential sponsors can contact her on Tel: 07939 128286 or email: susieblowermtc@hotmail.co.uk . “It’s a huge honour and a real coup for Montgomery and Wales to have been approached to host the Guild Championships which attracts competitors from across the world to compete for the stunning silver George Carpenter trophy,” she explained. “It’s also an exciting personal challenge because I have to raise £5,000 to stage the event. I hope local businesses will recognise the value of sponsoring an event that will generate worldwide interest and attract many visitors to the town and surrounding area. “Town criers from America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will be competing against their counterparts from the UK in my home town. I just wish my parents were alive to see the competition which will be a fantastic spectacle not only for Montgomery but for the whole of Wales.” Sue is receiving widespread support, including from Welsh Government Minister for Health and Social Services and a regional MS for Mid and West Wales, Eluned Morgan, who has agreed to join the competition judging panel, which will also include the Earl of Powis. The international town criers will be asked to deliver two cries in the championships – the home cry and a set cry on a particular topic - with each cry not exceeding 140 words. The competition will take place in the Town Square, with Broad Street closed to traffic for the day. An area of the street will be closed off for food and drink vendors to add to the occasion. “It’s not the first time Montgomery has hosted a competition for town criers, having twice held previous contests over the past decade, but this will certainly be the biggest and most prestigious,” added Sue. She has already booked places for the visiting town criers and their partners at the Dragon Hotel and with other local accommodation providers and says many of the visitors plan to stay in the town for a few extra days. One of these is Daniel Laflèche, from Canada, official provincial crier of Ontario since 1984 and the official town crier for the National Capital Region of Ottawa-Gatineau since 1981. He holds the title of The Most Elegant Crier in the World. An actor and former history teacher, Daniel is also a storyteller and has agreed to visit local primary schools in Montgomery and surrounding villages to share his stories during his 10-day stay. Montgomery Town Crier Sue Blower – excited about bringing international town criers championships to her home town.
Golden sunlight burning through fog in the Great Wood at Gregynog. Image: Bradley Carr. ‘Welcome Home to Nature’ programme at Gregynog, one of Wales’ leading country estates, has been awarded £246,966 through the Welsh Government’s Nature Networks Fund. The funding supports nature recovery and encourages more public access to some of Wales’ most special natural environments. Gregynog’s project is one of 17 in Wales set to benefit from Welsh Government conservation funding totalling £3.78 million. The investment in the National Nature Reserve and two areas of Special Scientific Interest at Gregynog, located at Tregynon, near Newtown, will make a huge difference. Gregynog’s Great Wood, an internationally significant ancient oak woodland, is home to rare lichens and to birds such as pied flycatcher, willow tits and wood warblers. The grounds at Gregynog are open every day and lots of people regularly visit to enjoy a walk in the woods and a coffee in the Courtyard café. However, rutted tracks make access difficult for both visitors with mobility issues and those with young children and the woodland walks can be muddy for much of the year. The Nature Network Fund support will allow Gregynog to repair and top dress both the drives to Bwlch y Ffridd, improve drainage and fill all pot holes. A new, accessible path around the lily pond will be created and the pond will be restored to create an accessible 360 degree bird hide on the island, accessed by a new bridge. Invasive plants will also be cleared from the pond over two years. All walks on the estate will have new signage and pathways and mapping will be improved while 50 bird boxes will be installed with help from Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, which will also run public events for the next two years and monitor wildlife on the estate. A children’s playground and covered picnic benches for adults and children using sustainable materials will be installed together with a bike rack for visitors and staff at the Courtyard entrance. Meadow flowers and flowering specimen trees will be planted along the drives and work will continue to restore the walled gardens. The Nature Networks Fund is delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government and in partnership with Natural Resources Wales. Gregynog’s chair Carole-Anne Davies said: “We are very proud of our team and their work on the ‘Welcome Home to Nature’ programme. The project allows us to enhance and broaden visitor access and experience, as well as protect and nurture our richly biodiverse reserve as a haven for nature. “It also helps consolidate our partnerships, opening up further potential for collaboration and helping us to reveal and share Gregynog’s magic with more people than ever – exploring the joy that comes with integrating nature, science and creativity.” Ruth Jenkins, head of natural resource management policy at Natural Resources Wales, said: “We are delighted to see these projects, each driving forward the practical action needed to address what is one of the most urgent challenges of our times. “These projects will seek to recover species and habitats through collaboration among a wide range of land owners and organisations. They are all superb and diverse examples of the exciting restoration and community engagement that is a critically needed step to bring about the recovery of nature in Wales.”
“Families and couples are always looking for something to do during Bank Holiday weekends and school half term holidays, especially when it’s raining, which seems likely this Easter,” said Lorna Morris who established the attraction with business partner Jo Woodall four years ago. “As an Easter treat, we have decided to give customers a 20% discount for Good Friday and Saturday, so that they can enjoy the immersive, fun experience indoors here at Beyond Breakout. “‘Shaken Not Purred’ stands as a testament to our commitment to innovation and delivering unforgettable adventures for players of all ages. We look forward to welcoming both new and returning players." Lorna and Jo have worked hard to establish the business within the interactive entertainment industry. Next week, the attraction will be open as usual from Tuesday to Sunday. For more information about Beyond Breakout Ltd and its escape room games or to book online, visit www.beyondbreakout.co.uk . Beyond Breakout’s partners Lorna Morris and Jo Woodall.
Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre opens for the season on Saturday. An award-winning Mid Wales pilgrimage centre reopens on Saturday, March 23 with a new name and a day of activities to celebrate its 10th anniversary year. Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre, the new name for Mary Jones World at Llanycil, Bala, tells the story of a local Welsh girl who inspired a global movement that changed the lives of millions. The centre shares the inspirational story of Mary Jones, whose epic 26–mile barefoot journey to buy a Welsh Bible led to the foundation of Bible Society, a global movement which is now active in over 240 countries and territories across the world. To celebrate the opening of the new season with a new name, there will be a presentation by Elin Owen, from the Diocese of Bangor’s Pererin Project at 10.30am, a short drama of the Mary Jones story at 1pm and a presentation at 3pm by Mary Thomas, author of ‘The Mary Jones Walk’. Also available throughout the day will be creative prayer stations with Coleg y Bala and children’s crafts. Pilgrim Café will be serving light lunches, homemade cakes and drinks. The visitor experience, set on the edge of the breathtaking Llyn Tegid, allows visitors to follow in the footsteps of Mary Jones with displays and interactive content in a Grade 2 listed building. Complete with a picnic area, café and children’s playground, the Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre offers a great time out for children and adults alike. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed into the centre or the graveyard. However, well-behaved dogs are welcome in the Pilgrim Café and other areas of the site. The café offers a selection of hot drinks, tasty homemade cakes and light lunches from local suppliers. Group bookings are available on request. Visitors from around the world have been welcomed over the past decade and the centre, which opened in October 2014, has listened to feedback that the name Mary Jones World doesn’t accurately represent the experience. “We are incredibly grateful for the support we have received so far and hope the public will join us in this new, exciting chapter for the centre,” said a spokesperson. The centre is open Wednesday to Sunday from March 23 to September 29 from 10am to 4pm in addition to Bank Holiday Mondays. For more information including enquiries and bookings contact Tel: 0808 1784 909 / 01678521877 or visit www.maryjones.org.uk . Successful decarbonisation event empowers businesses to pave the way to a sustainable future20/3/2024 Growing Mid Wales, in partnership with Powys and Ceredigion County Councils, hosted a decarbonisation event on Monday 11 March at Bargoed Farm, bringing together industry leaders, experts, and businesses committed to exploring ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs. The event Sustainable business solutions in Mid Wales: Minimising emissions and costs featured insightful panel discussions, interactive workshops, and presentations from Business Wales, the Regional Skills Partnership and the energy networks. Attendees had the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and practical strategies to decarbonise their operations and contribute to a more sustainable future. Jointly, Ceredigion County Councillor Keith Henson, Cabinet Member for Highways and Environmental Services and Carbon Management and Powys County Councillor Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys said: “We are thrilled to see the widespread commitment from businesses across sectors to embrace decarbonisation as a fundamental aspect of their operations. “This event served as a platform to share knowledge, showcase innovations, and forge collaborations that will collectively drive the transition to a low-carbon economy. “It was great to see Mid Wales businesses also benefit from the wide and varied support available to understand how decarbonising their business can help promote Mid Wales as a place to do green business with." The event aligns with Growing Mid Wales’ and the two local authorities’ ongoing mission to empower businesses to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprint. By fostering dialogue, collaboration, and innovation, Growing Mid Wales aims to be a catalyst for positive change in the region. Bargoed Farm is committed to becoming a carbon neutral business. During the event Geraint Thomas, Bargoed Farm owner, provided a tour, showing the sustainability practices they currently follow. He said: “The decarbonisation event was a great opportunity for us to share current practices, our knowledge and ways we’ve addressed challenges so that we could help to show other businesses how to start or ramp up their sustainability journey. Let's carry forward this momentum, I hope that this is the first of many opportunities that will bring green business in Mid Wales to the forefront of conversation.” Thank you to National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), Scottish Power Energy Network (SPEN) and Wales and West Utilities (WWU) who kindly sponsored the event. For more information on Growing Mid Wales and future sustainability events, visit www.growingmid.wales/Energy+NetZero or sign up to receive a monthly newsletter featuring the latest news on Growing Mid Wales developments by emailing growingmidwales@ceredigion.gov.uk. Ffestiniog Railway. Many locals may have fond memories of the Ffestiniog Railway’s famous beer trains which, until 1996, were the only place to get a drink when Dwyfor’s pubs were still closed on a Sunday. Others will have treasured family memories of visiting the newly revived railway during summer holidays. People in Blaenau Ffestiniog might have witnessed the first train arriving back in 1982..... All of these stories are invaluable pieces of the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways’ past. As part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Interpretation & Boston Lodge Project, there is a fantastic opportunity for people to tell their stories. This ongoing £5.2 million project is an ambitious endeavour to tell the story of the railway and it’s 200-year history to thousands of visitors. The project will involve more people in the railway and help them to develop skills. Historic buildings will be rescued and new buildings created. Boston Lodge Works is the oldest continuously operating engineering works in the world. Through this ambitious and exciting project, the story of the railway will be told to help thousands of visitors understand the area’s pioneering spirit and global impact and explain how the industry has shaped the landscape and community over 200 years. General manager, Paul Lewin, said: “We can feel our history slipping through our fingers – we must act now to save that history.” He is encouraging members of the public to have their stories recorded now before they’re lost forever. Upcoming tours of Boston Lodge Works, the railway’s engineering works, provide a chance to weave people’s stories with the well-established history of the railway to bring the past to life for visitors and the local community. The collection of these stories forms just a small part of the project, which focuses on improving how the history of the railway is told, as well as building works at Boston Lodge. Anybody interested in telling their story is asked to contact the interpretation team at interpretation@ffwhr.com. Interviews can be conducted in-person or remotely. These will then be kept in the company archives, one of the world’s oldest railway archives. There are also always opportunities for those who wish to get involved with the project more broadly. Opportunities include attending workshops, behind the scenes tours, or even volunteering! More details can be found on the project website: https://nlhfproject.festrail.co.uk. The Montgomery Canal. This year’s Montgomery Canal Forum, to be be held at the Royal Oak Hotel, Welshpool on Monday, April 22 at 2.30pm, will cover developments on the canal in Powys and Shropshire and plans for its future. Presentations will include the new Schoolhouse Bridge, the last highway blockage in Shropshire, rebuilt by contractors in a volunteer-led project entirely funded by donations from supporters, private companies and charitable trusts. Volunteers are restoring the canal channel in Shropshire supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and other grants, while a Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal is supporting future restoration. Presentations will also cover multi-million pound Levelling-Up projects in Powys, nurturing nature and embracing ecological stewardship in the canal restoration and Heulwen Trust, possibly the world’s first boat trip for vulnerable and less abled adults and children. The forum is open to anyone interested in the restoration and development of the Montgomery Canal with its social, economic and environmental benefits for present and future generations. There will be an opportunity to discuss any issue concerning the future of the Montgomery Canal and its contribution to the area. Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust chairman Michael Limbrey said, "Major works are under way to extend the isolated section of canal in Powys and at the same time volunteers are hard at work to restore the canal to the Shropshire border at Llanymynech. “Restoration ensures a safe and accessible towpath, protects the canal’s valuable ecology and its historic canal-age structures and ensures an amenity for water sports as well as boating visitors: all topics that will be covered at the forum. “The Montgomery Canal is part of a network of waterways which extends from Newtown to London’s Docklands and deep into Yorkshire. Many miles of once neglected canal have been reopened to become attractive features enjoyed by visitors and residents in towns like Llangollen, Brecon, Stratford-on-Avon and Droitwich. “We believe that the restored Montgomery Canal will be valuable in making the borderlands of Shropshire and Powys a great place for visitors and for residents to live, work and enjoy.” Talyllyn Railway in the springtime. An appeal will be launched on Friday to support an exciting £4 million project to redevelop Talyllyn Railway, the world’s first preserved railway, at Tywyn in Mid Wales. The ‘Preserving our Past, Building Our Future’ project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, proposes major redevelopment of facilities at Tywyn Pendre and Wharf stations to carry the railway into the future. Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society (TRPS) is keen to educate visitors about the railway’s heritage and the story of slate in the region whilst also updating and increasing accommodation for volunteers. New engineering facilities are also planned to train the next generation of engineers in heritage skills. The proposals include:
Initial funding has already been secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop a full application for a grant exceeding £1m. Further grant funding from other sources is being sought. On Friday, the railway will be officially launching The 75 Appeal with the target of raising at least £500,000 towards the £4m project over the next five to six years. All money raised will go towards providing the railway with facilities needed for future decades. In addition, local links will be strengthened through community engagement programme. Every year, the fundraising appeal will focus on a particular aspect of the redevelopment. Initially, ‘Trefri’, a recently acquired property next door to Wharf Station, will be converted to volunteer accommodation and more carriage storage space will be provided at Pendre, the railway’s main working yards. The whole development project is expected to take around five years to complete Formed nearly 75 years ago to save the seven-mile narrow gauge railway, TRPS has established a major tourist attraction which carries 50,000 passengers and generates around £4m for the local economy annually. The railway is said to have inspired author and volunteer guard, the Rev W. V. Awdry, to create the series of Thomas the Tank Engine books. The Talyllyn still retains much of its character and heritage, including regularly operating all of its Victorian locomotives and passenger stock. Three years ago, the railway became the southern hub of The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales UNESCO World Heritage Site.. Local politicians, grant awarding bodies, business people and members of the local community have been invited to attend the 75 Appeal Launch Day which will include a trip on the railway. The railway is a member of MWT Cymru, which represents around 600 tourism and hospitality businesses and organisations across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia. |
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