THE latest community news from Tywyn

Strawberry tea event

A COMMUNITY fund-raiser has kick-started the campaign for a new defibrillator in Tywyn.

Gwen and Gerald Stevens hold an annual strawberry tea event to raise money for local causes and this year, following a demonstration on how to use a defibrillator in an emergency, they decided to use the money for a new piece of life-saving equipment.

The Stevenses managed to raise over £400, which will be split between a new campaign to purchase a defibrillator/cabinet somewhere in Tywyn and the local hospital.

“Speaking to Welsh Hearts’ Nick Aitken about the need for more defibrillators, we decided that’s what would put the money towards this years,” said Mrs Stevens.

“He says he wants one every 100 metres and that they really do make a difference.

“The machine will cost over £900 and the cabinet takes it up to around £1,500, so there’s a long way to go yet, but £200 is a good start!”

For more information, or to donate towards the scheme, call Mrs Stevens on 01654 711940.

Summer concert

A SUMMER concert will be held in St David’s Church with Côr Meibion Bro Dysynni on Friday, 24 August, at 7.30pm.

NSPCC

AN INDUSTRIOUS branch of a children’s charity has raised hundreds of pounds through record-breaking street collections.

The Tywyn branch of the NSPCC gathered an impressive £886.50 during two street collections in the town recently.

Treasurer Anne Lloyd-Jones, who also represents Gwynedd Council, said that this was the “most the committee had ever raised” and thanked all those who gave so generously to the worthy cause.

She also thanked Spar, Co-op and Tywyn Market for allowing the members to collect on their premises.

The chairman, Jennie Tinsley, was “delighted” with the amount raised and is now preparing for the next event, which will be a skittles evening at the Neptune club in November.

During 2017, through various events and donations, the Tywyn NSPCC raised £1,491.50 and Jennie is hopeful that this sum can be matched again this year.

The committee would welcome new members or anyone wishing to donate or help out in any way with the work to raise funds for the children’s charity.

Contact Anne Lloyd-Jones on 01654 710457.

Organ concert

THE next Wurlitzer organ concert at Neuadd Pendre will be on Thursday, 23 August, at 7.30pm and features the return of organist Len Rawle MBE.

Awarded the MBE in 2011, Len is a travelled ambassador for historic Wurlitzer theatre organs.

The citation reads: ‘Len Rawle for services to music’.

Born in Tonypandy, South Wales, Len started his classical music training at the age of four and later studied at London College of Music, Cardiff, and then London, where he mixed with many of the world’s leading organists.

His father installed the UK’s first Wurlitzer residence organ (formerly at Granada, Wandsworth Road, London) in the family home.

Len later acquired the famous four manual Wurlitzer from the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square as the centrepiece of his purpose-built home in Chorleywood.

In addition to many concerts, Len has given many workshops and masterclasses in Europe, America, Australia and around the world.

A high point in his work was an educational programme for children in Buffalo, USA.

All are welcome to what will surely be another excellent event and a high point of the Tywyn Wurlitzer calendar.

Tickets will available at the door, with refreshments available.

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