Merthyr Express column

22nd July 10


The Valleys Ice Cream

With so many festivals and events taking place in the valleys this summer, to help us all keep cool, The Valleys Heart and Soul of Wales has teamed up with local ice cream manufacturer, Subzero, to create an official ice cream for The Valleys. Three shortlisted entries will be available as tasters at this year’s National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale where visitors will be able to vote for their favourite ice cream.

The winning entry will then be produced and sold in ice cream parlours across the south Wales valleys. The winner will also win a ‘Valleys Experience’ and a supply of Valleys Ice Cream, while all shortlisted entries will receive tickets to the National Eisteddfod and a Valleys goodie bag. The final date for entries is tomorrow, Friday, 23rd July 2010 at 9am, so there’s no time to waste. Contact icecream@thevalleys.co.uk for information and to tell the team what you think The Official Valleys Ice Cream should be, together with your name and contact details.

Summer Youth Dance

Join Jukebox Funk-Camp this summer for three fun packed days of dance. Get down and boogie with jukebox juniors poppin’, lockin’, street, breakin’ and more. Learn the names and characters of the moves. Technique, choreography, social dance, performance skills and drills.

Merthyr Tydfil sessions to be held on 23rd until 25th August but you need to book today before the deadline on 23rd July. The cost of the three day course is £69, with family discounts available. For further information contact 07904 512690 or 07885 466687 or email jukeboxbootcamp@gmail.com.

Funky Fun Day

Pen-y-Dre Youth Club presents a free entry Funky Fun Day for young people aged from eleven to twenty-five, on Wednesday, 28th July 2010 at Pen-y-Dre Youth Club and High School. The day starts at 11.00am and continues until 4.00pm. So if you’re in that age group, why not come along and try some new activities! For further information please contact: 01685 727085/725085.

Cyfarthfa Exhibitions

This summer and autumn sees a number of exciting new exhibitions at Cyfarthfa Castle, starting in August with an exhibition by a figure considered controversial in his day, but now regarded as one of the art world’s greatest innovators; known as “the painter of light”, he was concerned with light and effect almost thirty years before the French Impressionists. In an exhibition which Includes significant loans from the Tate, the work of JMW Turner will be showing at Cyfarthfa Castle from 1st until 31st August, along side one of his contemporaries, “The Welsh Turner” Merthyr Tydfil born Penry Williams.

A series of paintings of the Cyfarthfa iron works by local artist Linda Morgan will be showing throughout September in an exhibition titled “Cyfarthfa Iron and Steel”. And in contrast to the seasons perhaps; October brings an exhibition titled “Here Comes the Sun”, featuring the latest work from the Rhymney born artist, Neil Carroll.

Contact Cyfarthfa Castle Art Gallery and Museum for details on 01685 723112 or e-mail museum@merthyr.gov.uk.