Photo by Ken Grant
Each summer, National Youth Arts Wales brings together young musicians, singers, actors and dancers from across Wales before taking the work they create together out to audiences around the country.
For the young people involved, that means travelling from their home communities to residencies and then heading out on tour - from cathedral to concert hall and from Bangor to Swansea and Newport. This summer, those journeys were made possible with the generous support of Richards Bros, the Cardigan-based coach company that has supported NYAW’s summer activity on the road for more than 20 years.
Getting large groups of young people around Wales safely, comfortably and on time is a big part of making the summer work. The coaches become part of the experience too - a chance to relax between rehearsals and performances, catch up with friends and, sometimes, retrieve the concert shoes or instrument that someone has inevitably left behind!
Without reliable coach travel, bringing together young people from every part of Wales would be much harder. It is how members from Ynys Môn and Gwent can rehearse together, and how the work they create can then reach audiences in Bangor, St Davids, Swansea and Newport.
Over the summer, Richards Bros coaches were on the road across Wales supporting NYAW’s national programme. The National Youth Orchestra of Wales, celebrating its 80th year, travelled to performances at Prichard-Jones Hall in Bangor, St Davids Cathedral and Brangwyn Hall in Swansea. More than 90 members of the National Youth Choir of Wales travelled from their residency in Carmarthen to performances at St Asaph Cathedral, St Davids Cathedral and Brangwyn Hall, while the National Youth Brass Band of Wales travelled to Bangor, St Davids and The Riverfront in Newport. National Youth Theatre Wales members also used Richards Bros coaches to travel from their residency in Aberystwyth through to Cardiff.
It meant that young people could travel together in comfort between rehearsals, residencies and performances, while audiences in different parts of Wales could experience the work being created by NYAW’s young artists.
Matthew Jones OBE, NYAW Senior Producer & Deputy Chief Executive, said:
“Moving large ensembles of young people, the length and breadth of Wales for an intensive tour on tight schedules can be stressful. Having a reliable and sympathetic travel partner is essential and thankfully we have had the pleasure of working with Richards Bros for over 20 years. Their drivers are always professional and also have a great sense of humour and they will always go the extra mile (pardon the pun) to ensure our members arrive at their next concert venue feeling as relaxed as possible. They’re also very patient when the inevitable call comes in to say that someone has left their concert shoes on the coach!! We really appreciate their additional support this year.”
Gemma Richards, Assistant Transport Manager at Richard Bros said: “we are very proud to support the young musicians of Wales on the Summer tours programmes and it has been a great privilege to have served National Youth Arts Wales for so many years.”
For NYAW, the support from Richards Bros is about more than simply getting from A to B. It helps make a national programme possible, bringing young people together from across Wales, giving them the chance to perform in some of the country’s most special venues and ensuring audiences across Wales can experience the work they create.
National Youth Arts Wales is grateful to Richards Bros for their generous support in helping young people from throughout Wales come together and share their work with audiences across the country.