The Royal Welsh and us - the story so far…

by Angharad Evans, Welsh Language Communications Officer

When Aled the boss asked me if I wanted to write a slightly different Cornel Clecs this month - I was a little sceptical of his offer! But, after an explanation, I was more than happy to undertake the task! For one month only, I have the opportunity to focus on two things that are very close to my heart - the Farmers’ Union of Wales which has been a huge part of my life for over 22 years, and the Royal Welsh Show, an event which has provided annual trips to Llanelwedd since I was a little girl, and more recently as a competitor in the sheep section, thanks to my daughter and her Jacob sheep.

With the Farmers’ Union of Wales celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, Aled asked me to look back at our presence at the show over the 7 decades, so I gladly started the job.  I have spent hours looking through old issues of Y Tir and reading about our association with the show, and I am very honored to be able to share a little of what has caught my attention, so come with me on a visual tour of the Farmers Union of Wales at the Royal Welsh!

As well as our archive of every issue of Y Tir at the Head Office, A Family Affair has been an invaluable help in piecing together the early history of the FUW’s presence at the Royal Welsh Show. We’ve had a stand at every show since Rhyl in 1956. The first show was held on the Llanelwedd site in 1963, and then in 1965, the FUW and NEM, the Union's insurance providers at the time, decided to build a permanent building on the showground, at a cost of £4,000. In 1981, the show grew to a four day event and with that the Union got a new building with a balcony overlooking the main ring. The building was officially opened by the Secretary of State for Wales, Nicholas Edwards, and he said that the permanent pavilion was a tribute to the tenacity of the FUW, and according to the President of the Union at the time, T Myrddin Evans, the decision to build a permanent building in Llanelwedd underlined the FUW's commitment to the Royal Welsh Show.

And that commitment has continued and strengthened over the decades as the Union has a solid presence during the week of the Royal Welsh Show. The pavilion is also a permanent base for our Brecon and Radnor FUW and FUWIS staff, which ensures that we are represented on the showground throughout the year.

But for one week in July every year the pavilion comes alive, and is the centre of the Union's various activities. Although there has been a big change to the look of the building over the decades - from the wooden stand to the luxurious pavilion today - one thing has remained the same - the welcome inside is just as warm. Very rarely do you walk into the pavilion during the week of the Royal Welsh Show and the place is empty. Rain or shine, everyone flocks into the pavilion for a cup of tea and a chat, and that's several hours gone sometimes because there is an opportunity to catch up with old friends, and the sound of chatter echoes around the room.

In addition to socialising, there is another crucial element of the Union's work taking place during the show of course, with a large number of important meetings, lobbying and seminars taking place with very influential figures within the agricultural world.  It was interesting to come across a picture of the late and former Prime Minister of the UK between 1970 and 1974, Edward Heath on the Union’s stand - proof that the FUW was well recognised as a respectable agricultural Union at UK level very early in its history. And the tradition has continued as a large number of influential names in the political world have attended formal meetings with staff and elected officials over the decades.

But without a doubt, it is the people who create the FUW, and that is clearly obvious during show week. Generations of children have come through the pavilion's doors over the decades, and today, it is the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who visit the pavilion with their families. We couldn’t reflect on the Union’s presence at the show without mentioning one prominent and very likable character - Mr Meurig Voyle. A well respected member of staff since 1961, for 53 years Meurig was the familiar figure of the pavilion, sitting outside the pavilion’s entrance greeting everyone who came in, in his capacity as caretaker of the pavilion, and before that in the tent on the showground. He died aged 93 in September 2018, and that was the only show he failed to attend since 1963 due to his wife's illness at the time - a great example of his great commitment to the FUW and agriculture. Visitors to the FUW pavilion certainly miss Mr Voyle's warm welcome on arrival.

The President's reception is an enjoyable event that takes place every Wednesday night - an opportunity to relax and socialise in a much less formal atmosphere than the day's meetings.  There is also the opportunity to present several internal and external awards to extremely worthy winners, and the list of winners over the years has been very prominent - which names will join the list this year? All will be revealed during the show!

Many celebrities have been welcomed to the pavilion during the decades, and visitors who always receive a warm welcome are the Scarlets rugby players, thanks to the valuable connections of our Finance Manager, Wyn Lewis with the team. Our gigs are a new initiative that has proven to be a huge success for several years now, and we have been very fortunate to be able to secure performances from the Welsh Whisperer, Bryn Fôn and Bwncath, and it is wonderful to see the pavilion full of singing and dancing.

And that's it! A very quick glance at our presence during the Royal Welsh Show week. It has been impossible to mention every activity and memory over the decades, but I hope you have had some idea of how special the week of the show is for us as a Union. As we celebrate the 70th, the same welcome as ever awaits you at this year's show, remember to join us in the celebrations - without you all this would not be possible - so on to the next 70 years of the Union's adventures at the Royal Welsh Show!