No smoking at this year’s youngsters’ eisteddfod

THERE will be no smoking at this summer’s Urdd National Eisteddfod in support of a campaign to make Wales smoke free.

The youth event, taking place in Pencoed near Bridgend at the end of May, is the first major event in Wales to join tobacco control action group ASH Wales Cymru’s Smokefree Summer campaign.

The Urdd, one of Europe’s largest youth festivals, has signed up to be smoke free to promote a clean and healthy environment for the festival-goers.

The ban will cover the entire Eisteddfod site for the six-day event – including the famous Maes and pavilion – which is attended by 90,000 visitors and 15,000 young competitors annually.

With more and more spaces becoming no-smoking areas, ASH is now calling on event organisers and visitor attractions across Wales to join the campaign and go smoke free.

Urdd Eisteddfod organiser Morys Gruffudd added: “We are proud to be the first major festival in Wales to go smoke free.

“It’s a family-friendly festival with over 90,000 visiting during the week, and it feels only appropriate that we place a smoking ban for the whole site so that we can offer a clean and healthy environment.

“Within the 20-acre festival site we have the competing pavilion, a funfair and around 80 stalls selling all sorts, from jewellery and clothes to picnic tables and trailers.

“There is also an activity field with a climbing wall, quad bikes, trampolines and various workshops, as well as live bands performing in the food arena.

“It’s great we can offer this in a smokefree environment.”