ASHMOLE & CO, one of mid and west Wales’ largest bilingual accountancy firms, is delighted to be supporting Wales YFC by sponsoring its dance competition at this month’s Royal Welsh Show.

The firm has worked closely with the Welsh farming community since it was established in 1897 and remains deeply committed to the agricultural sector.

Many of Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff are past or present members of Wales YFC and have benefited personally and professionally from their involvement with the organisation.

Supporting the next generation of farmers and rural leaders is therefore of great importance to the firm.

The Royal Welsh Show is one of the highlights of the year for YFC members, with competitions including shearing, dancing, stock judging and flower arranging.

The dance competition sponsored by Ashmole & Co will take place on the main YFC stage on Tuesday, July 21, from 1pm.

Ceri Llwyd, a partner at Ashmole & Co’s Llandovery and Llandeilo offices, said: “As the auditor of Wales YFC, we understand the importance of this bilingual rural youth organisation in helping young people become successful farmers, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

“It has been an honour to work with Wales YFC over many years. We have developed an excellent working relationship, and I very much hope this will continue for many years to come.

“We would like to wish everyone competing at the Royal Welsh Show the very best of luck and hope they enjoy the tremendous experience.

“I will be there on Tuesday to watch the competition and show my support.”

Wales YFC is a vibrant organisation that encourages young people to take responsibility and play an active role in their communities while developing their skills through a wide range of member-led programmes and activities.

The organisation has more than 5,000 members aged between 10 and 28, as well as thousands of supporters, volunteers, parents and friends.

Mared Rand Jones, chief executive of Wales YFC, said: “The Royal Welsh Show is the pinnacle of the year for YFC members, and we look forward to seeing them once again representing their counties and competing in a wide variety of competitions.

“Wales YFC will be showcasing the very best of its membership, and the public will be entertained throughout the four days of the show.

“We thank Ashmole & Co for its tremendous support. As a charity, we depend on generous sponsorship to provide activities and competitions for our members.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Wales YFC Centre during the show.”

The 2026 Royal Welsh Show will take place from Monday, July 20, to Thursday, July 23.

Widely regarded as one of the leading events in the British agricultural calendar, the show will feature four days of livestock and equine competitions, forestry, horticulture, crafts, countryside sports, shopping, food and drink, alongside a packed daily programme of entertainment, attractions and displays.

A MAGICAL glow-in-the-dark puppet show featuring colourful characters, music and family-friendly humour is returning to the Torch Theatre this August.

The Puppet Spectacular Glow Show is a captivating one-hour UV performance designed to entertain audiences of all ages.

Combining puppetry, comedy, music and striking black-light visuals, the interactive show encourages children and adults to sing, clap and cheer along with the characters.

Magic Light Productions has been creating professional puppets for its own productions and for companies around the world since 2006.

The company specialises in UV black art, with its puppets having appeared in numerous variety shows across the UK, including 12 theatre tours with the BBC’s Chuckle Brothers.

Drawing from an extensive collection of puppets, the production promises an immersive sensory experience for the whole family.

Last year’s Puppet Spectacular Glow Show sold out at the Torch Theatre, with audience members praising the inclusive and interactive nature of the performance. Visitors were also given the opportunity to meet some of the characters after the show.

The Puppet Spectacular Glow Show will take place on the Torch Theatre stage on Saturday, August 8, at 2pm.

Tickets cost £14 for adults and £12.50 for under-16s, with a family ticket available for £48.

Tickets can be booked at torchtheatre.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01646 695267.

RSPB CYMRU has purchased a 96-hectare upland site in Carmarthenshire, describing it as a vital step towards reconnecting one of Wales’ most important wildlife landscapes.

The newly acquired area, known as Gallt-y-bere, lies alongside the River Tywi and sits between two previously separated sections of the charity’s Gwenffrwd-Dinas nature reserve in the Elenydd uplands.

Conservationists say the purchase will reconnect fragmented habitats for the first time in around 60 years, creating a continuous landscape that will allow wildlife to move more freely and strengthen biodiversity across the reserve.

The site contains a rich mix of internationally important habitats, including rare Atlantic oak woodland – often referred to as Celtic rainforest – as well as ancient woodland, peat bogs and ffridd, the transitional habitat found between lowland farmland and open upland areas.

RSPB Cymru believes linking these habitats together will benefit a wide range of species, including pied flycatchers, hen harriers, cuckoos, wood warblers, pine martens and whinchats.

The purchase was made possible through a philanthropic loan and support from thousands of donors who contributed to the charity’s fundraising appeal.

Jonathan Cryer, site manager at RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas, described Gallt-y-bere as a “truly magical place”.

He said: “I’m thrilled that we’re in a position to expand and improve its rare habitats and wildlife.

“Securing this site is a brilliant opportunity for us to strengthen ancient woodland, restore upland habitats and create the conditions needed for rare wildlife to flourish in the future.”

RSPB Cymru says the enlarged reserve is now big enough to support breeding hen harriers. Although the red-listed birds are occasionally seen in the area, they have not attempted to breed there in recent years.

The organisation has been involved in conservation work at Gwenffrwd-Dinas for more than a century, initially supporting efforts to protect red kites before acquiring land to safeguard vulnerable habitats and species.

Surveys funded by Natural Resources Wales will be carried out over the summer to identify the full range of habitats and wildlife present on the newly protected land. The findings will help shape future conservation work.

Plans include expanding and enhancing wildlife-rich grasslands that support rare plants such as whorled caraway and wood bitter-vetch, while also working with local farming tenants to demonstrate how nature recovery and sustainable agriculture can coexist.

RSPB Cymru said the acquisition marks another important step towards building a more resilient future for wildlife in Wales, with long-term plans to work alongside local communities and partners to restore and protect the newly connected landscape for generations to come.