Teen singing sensation Ffion Jones was the star of housing association Cartrefi Conwy’s Family Fun Day at Llandudno.
The 13-year-old from Conwy won the first ever Cartrefi’s Got Talent competition and a £250 prize after a stunning performance in front of a packed audience at John Bright School Sports Hall.
The event was the centrepiece of the day organised for their tenants by Cartrefi Conwy who own and manage the 3,700 former Conwy County Council properties.
A delighted Ffion, from Pengarth, Conwy, a pupil at Ysgol y Creuddyn in Penrhyn Bay, said afterwards: “I’m thrilled and I’m going to spend it all on clothes.
“I only decided to enter a week ago but I used to sing in the Urdd Eisteddfod competitions and I go to drama and dance classes.”
She sang Colours Of The Wind and Cartrefi Conwy Tenant Board member Mair Jones, one of the three-strong judging panel, along with Finance Director Tony Deakin and staff member Sandra Morris, said: “As soon as she began to sing it took my breath away – she was wonderful.”
Ffion is due to perform at Venue Cymru soon with the Crazy Cats dance group and Cat McArdle, her drama and dance teacher, said: “Ffion just needs confidence. She’s come on such a lot this year.
“I was nearly crying. She was absolutely brilliant.”
The judges gave a special mention to two more acts in the nine-strong field, the Soggy Bottom Girls and ex-Butlins Redcoat Terrie Thomas but there was plenty more going on in a packed programme on the day.
This was Cartrefi Conwy’s second annual Family Fun Day and after the success of the first event last year when 700 tenants attended, the organisers were delighted that over 1,000 turned out this time.
There was a mix of information stands and entertainment both inside and outside the Sports Hall with everything from a wrestling ring to birds of prey and including handicrafts, knitting and greetings cards as well as local and national organisations with Welsh Guardsman Stuart Gizzi, from Rhyl, wounded in Afghanistan, on the Army’s stand.
There was the second annual football challenge between G Purchase Ltd, the main contractors for the housing association’s major £30 million refurbishment programme, and Cartrefi with G Purchase retaining the challenge shield after a thrilling 5-4 win.
There were also presentations to local junior football teams, bingo, morris dancing, a balloon release and raffles.
The organiser of the event, Cartrefi Community Involvement Co-ordinator Vicky Kelly, said: “It’s gone really well. Such a lot of planning and effort has gone into this from so many people.
“We just wanted to try and provide as much information and entertainment for our tenants to make sure they got as much out of the day as possible and everyone seems to have enjoyed it.”
Cartrefi Conwy Chief Executive Andrew Bowden said: “We wanted it to be bigger and better than last year and I think we’ve succeeded and that was only possible because of the support of our tenants and the help of our staff.
“It is an opportunity for the tenants to meet and talk to our staff outside the day job and the important part is to ensure that our customers feel they have an opportunity to change and influence the organisation and get involved in the activities of Cartrefi Conwy.
“Cartrefi’s Got Talent was brilliant and so was the fact that we got over 1,000 tenants here today so I have to thank organisations like St John’s Ambulance and all the exhibitors for their support.”
Mair Jones, from the Fron Estate, Colwyn Bay, added: “It’s been an excellent day and an excellent venue and the turnout and the atmosphere have been wonderful and so have all the arrangements.”
