#richard-hibbard — Public Fediverse posts

PORT TALBOT: Seven chances in October to say what should go in the town’s £3m culture bid

Port Talbot‘s bid for £3m of culture money is coming to the shopping centre, the library and the football ground this month to ask one question: what should be in it?

Seven “Say It Proud” sessions run across Port Talbot and the Afan Valley from 6 October, and the partnership running the bid says the ideas people bring will shape what goes to the judges in November.

The open drop-ins start at Cwmafan Library on Friday 9 October and Aberafan Shopping Centre on Saturday 10 October. Anyone can turn up and say what they want from a year of culture in 2028.

Later in the month the bid team joins the Neath CVS roadshow at Sandfields Methodist Church on Thursday 22 October, sets up before kick-off at Trefelin Boys and Girls Club’s ground on Friday 23 October, and takes a stall at the Croeserw Family Fun Day on Thursday 29 October.

Two sessions are ticketed. The first, at the New Plaza on Tuesday 6 October, is free and aimed at artists, creatives and anyone who works or volunteers in the cultural sector. The second is a Founder Network evening with former Wales hooker Richard Hibbard at the Sand Rabbit Bar and Grill on Wednesday 14 October, with bid team members there to take ideas.

For anyone who cannot make any of them, there is a survey on the bid’s new website, porttalbottownofculture.wales.

What £3m would buy, and who Port Talbot is up against

Port Talbot and the Afan Valley were shortlisted in July, one of 15 towns picked from 398 applications. They sit in the medium-town category of the first UK Town of Culture competition alongside Pontypridd, and only one town per category goes through as a finalist.

The winner gets £3m for what the partnership describes as a year-long programme of culture in 2028. The two other finalists get £250,000 each. The full bid has to be in by 30 November, and the winner is due to be announced in February 2027.

The campaign now has a name, “Say It Proud. Port Talbot”, along with a website and social channels, a week after Gemma Charnock was named chair of the Neath Port Talbot Culture Partnership. The partnership is delivering the bid, with Neath Port Talbot Council as the accountable body.

‘Port Talbot telling its own story, in its own voice’

Cllr Cen Phillips, the council’s cabinet member for nature, tourism and wellbeing, said: “This bid is about Port Talbot telling its own story, in its own voice. We know there is an extraordinary amount of creativity, talent, passion and community spirit across our town and the Afan Valley, and we want to hear from the people who live, work and create here.”

He wants to hear “what should be included in the bid, what sorts of cultural events they’d like to see, and what they think makes Port Talbot so special”.

Ms Charnock said the town’s cultural scene was “thriving”, with community groups and organisations working to “engage more people and enrich lives through culture”. “We want to hear from those organisations, and also from individuals across Port Talbot and the Afan Valley to make sure no story goes untold,” she said.

The bid, she added, was “a unique opportunity to showcase all that this region has to offer”.

The partnership’s pitch leans on the names everyone knows, Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheen, alongside the town’s street art, music and Welsh-language scene. It says the bid is about shining a light on what already exists across the town and the valley.

The engagement programme runs through October, with event details and the stories gathered along the way going out through the campaign’s website, newsletter and social channels.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Town of Culture bid gets a new chair, with £3m at stake and until 30 November to make the case
Gemma Charnock’s appointment, and the pictures the bid is built on.

Town shortlisted for UK Town of Culture, with £3m and a Welsh rival standing in the way
The July shortlisting and the Pontypridd problem.

At 88, the Margam-born star is playing the villain again
Sir Anthony Hopkins’ latest role.

More Port Talbot news from Swansea Bay News
Every story from the town.

Ospreys legends unite to demand WRU rethink over club’s future

The move comes amid growing fears that the Ospreys could be cut from the top tier after the Welsh Rugby Union named Y11 Sport & Media — the club’s current owners — as the preferred buyer for rivals Cardiff.

The WRU wants to reduce the number of men’s professional teams in Wales from four to three. But former players say the proposals risk triggering a “downward spiral” and threaten the future of rugby across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.

In a statement signed by dozens of ex‑players, coaches and staff, the group praised current head coach Mark Jones and his squad for their “absolute commitment” despite the uncertainty — and warned that cutting a team “comes with no guarantee of success”.

“You don’t quit because you didn’t win,” the statement said. “You work harder, adapt, change and rebuild.”

The group includes Ryan Jones, James Hook, Barry Williams, Ian Gough, Richard Hibbard, Paul James, Tommy Bowe and former coach Sean Holley. They say the time is right to speak up — and they’re willing to meet the WRU to help shape a “positive future” for the sport.

They argue that Welsh rugby’s golden era — including six Six Nations titles and four Grand Slams — was built on four strong teams, and that removing one now would be a mistake.

“What the game needs is confidence, consistency and collaboration,” they said. “Not constant shifts in direction, where four teams, then two, then three are all presented as the ‘optimal’ solution within a single year.”

The statement also backs Swansea Council Leader Rob Stewart’s call to halt the process, warning that the redevelopment of St Helen’s is at risk and that support for the WRU’s proposals is “lacking across the wider Welsh rugby community”.

The group drew comparisons with Connacht, the Irish region once earmarked for closure in 2003. After public opposition forced a rethink, Connacht went on to win the league and recently celebrated the opening of a redeveloped stadium in Galway.

“It is not too late for the WRU to do the same,” the statement said. “Restoring Welsh rugby will take partnership, not imposition.”

Statement from Former Ospreys

As former Ospreys, we feel the time is right to speak up and show our support for the current players and staff during what is clearly a very difficult and uncertain time. It’s hard to imagine the pressure they’re under, yet they continue to perform with pride in the badge, and absolute commitment — just as we saw again on Saturday.

Mark Jones and his coaching team deserve huge credit for the way they are leading in the middle of all this uncertainty. Unfortunately, both the WRU and Y11 have provided very little clarity about their plans, and even now, after the announcement of a preferred buyer for Cardiff, there is still no real explanation of what this means for the Ospreys.

We support the call made by Swansea Council Leader Rob Stewart for the WRU and Y11 to pause the current process and rethink their approach. What is being proposed puts at risk the future of professional rugby across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend and the redevelopment of an historic rugby venue at St Helen’s.

It is also important to recognise how little support these proposals appear to have across the wider Welsh rugby community. In particular, Ospreys and Cardiff supporters are united in their opposition and their concern about the future for their respective teams.

Following the restructure in 2003 Welsh rugby enjoyed an incredible period of success, a golden era that compares to any other. Six Six Nations titles, four Grand Slams (more than any other nation in this period) and sustained international competitiveness were built on four strong teams. Three of the four professional teams have lifted major trophies, and only Leinster have won the Celtic League more times than the Ospreys.

Sport always goes in cycles. There are highs and lows, good years and tough years. No team wins everything, all of the time. You don’t quit because you didn’t win. You work harder, adapt, change and rebuild. The challenges are what make the successes more special.

A lack of long-term investment and clear planning by previous regimes has left Welsh rugby in a difficult place. But real progress will only come through working together. Change is needed, but it must be built through partnership, not imposed by one side alone.

Cutting a team comes with no guarantee of future success. We believe it more likely to lead to the opposite scenario, with Welsh rugby caught in a downward spiral.

For many of us, it was impossible not to notice the scenes in Galway at the weekend, where a record crowd celebrated the opening of Connacht’s redeveloped stadium. That happened because when presented with the same challenges the IRFU listened to the weight of public opinion, paused, and changed direction. It is not too late for the WRU to do the same.

We know the road ahead will be bumpy but we firmly believe that Welsh rugby can recover if there is a clear, stable and shared vision. What the game needs is confidence, consistency and collaboration — not constant shifts in direction, where four teams, then two, then three are all presented as the “optimal” solution within a single year.

Between us, we have decades of experience at the highest level of the game and a deep connection to the Ospreys, our community clubs and the national team. We are ready to meet with the WRU, individually or collectively, to share that experience and help shape a positive future for Welsh rugby.

Our Blood Is Black

The Ospreys are currently eighth in the United Rugby Championship and preparing to face Ulster in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.

More Ospreys News

Swansea Council and Ospreys confirm talks over St Helen’s return
Discussions underway about bringing the region back to its historic home.

Rugby ‘civil war’ as Ospreys boss blasts council
Tensions erupt over claims the region has no long‑term future.

Jones frustrated with Lions result but proud of Ospreys
Head coach praises his side’s fight despite a tough defeat.

MPs accuse WRU of ‘stitch‑up’ as pressure grows
Political scrutiny intensifies over the region’s uncertain future.

Swansea Council blasts WRU over threat to Ospreys
Council leaders warn the shake‑up risks wiping out the region.

Ospreys chief breaks silence after WRU confirms Cardiff sale plan
Y11’s move sparks fresh questions about the region’s future.

WRU confirms plan to sell Cardiff Rugby to Y11
Announcement deepens uncertainty for the Ospreys beyond next season.

https://www.europesays.com/uk/438006/ Richard Hibbard slams Wales players as stars refuse to play without pay #Britain #GreatBritain #RichardHibbard #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales