Welsh champion Tredegar will return to concert action this weekend as they help celebrate the anniversaries of two iconic institutions and the life of a highly regarded historian and politician.

Concert

The band will appear at Onllwyn Welfare Hall on Saturday 20th May (7.00pm) as part of a celebration of the life of Hywel Francis, the former MP for Aberavon and chairperson of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, who died in 2021.

A former trustee of the Paul Robeson Trust and founder of the Bevan Foundation, he was the author of several critically acclaimed books.

The concert also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the South Wales Miners' Library and the 75th anniversary of the National Health Service — two causes that he both fought for and championed during his life.

Pride

The concert which is shared with Onllwyn Male Voice Choir and the performance poet Tomo Roberts takes place at Onllwyn Welfare Hall — made famous as the venue in the BAFTA Award winning film 'Pride', which also featured the band.

It marks a break from the rigours of contesting following their appearance at the recent European Championships in Malmo, as they now look ahead to high profile concert appearances at St Martin in the Field with French Horn star Ben Goldsheider in London and at the Deal Festival in Kent.

Whit Friday

However, as MD Ian Porthouse told 4BR, contesting will not be forgotten as they will be making their debuts at the famous Whit Friday contests this year.

"This weekend is a great chance to reach out to concert audiences,"he said. "The Onllwyn event celebrates a wonderful supporter of causes close to the heart of the communities of south Wales and Tredegar in particular. Hywel helped us a great deal when we performed at the Houses of Parliament for the 70th anniversary."

The Onllwyn event celebrates a wonderful supporter of causes close to the heart of the communities of south Wales and Tredegar in particularMD, Ian Porthouse

Profile

He added: "The concerts in Onllwyn, London and Deal further our artistic profile, and it's been something of an ambition of mine to get the band to the Whit Friday contests. It will be great to perform there for the first time."

https://www.locaji.co.uk/wales/neath/onllwyn-welfare-hall/392605/