NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD 2017

Latest news and results from the Maes

NATIONAL Eisteddfod fundraisers have raised more money for the festival than ever before, it has been revealed.

The week-long Eisteddfod, one of Europe’s largest cultural events, is under way at Bodedern, near Valley.

It costs more than £4m to stage and the local area is set a fundraising target each year.

Haydn Edwards, chair of the finance committee, said the financial target of £325,000 was ambitious.

“We were tasked to raise that amount with no established structure in place and less than two years to accomplish the task,” he said.

“Within a few weeks, we had divided the island into 28 regions and established appeal committees in each. Their work started in January last year.

“Before that, our chairman Derec Llwyd Morgan had come up with an unique plan to persuade people to contribute £20 a month for 20 months, and a large number agreed and we raised £70,000 in a matter of weeks. Once the work started in earnest, we were able to announce we had reached half way last April and more than £250,000 by last year’s Eisteddfod.

“The target was reached in November but, like a large oil tanker at sea, stopping the fundraising takes time and the money continues to roll in. To date we have banked £412,000 – the same amount raised by the 2014 Eisteddfod in Carmarthenshire – and we will know the final figure when we close the books in November.”

Mr Morgan added: “There was some sucking in of cheeks when we were handed that target to raise in two years, but I was never in doubt that we would reach it.”

It is the fifth time the island has hosted the festival and the first time for 18 years.

Council leader Llinos Medi said: “Local residents and communities have been working tirelessly to raise funding and awareness to ensure we host a fantastic event.

“There’s a real sense of anticipation in communities all across Ynys Môn and, as the host authority, we look forward to our National Eisteddfod being a huge success and remembered as the best yet.”

Mr Morgan hopes the National Eisteddfod, which ends on Saturday, will attract more than 150,000 visitors and bring a whole host of cultural, linguistic and social benefits.

Contractors have created a new village including a 1,200-seater pavilion, two theatres, a cinema and more than 300 stands.