The West Wales charity Young Music Makers of Dyfed has received a financial boost through the fundraising efforts of its chairman, Emyr Wynne Jones.

At the final of this year’s Young Musician of Dyfed final, Mr. Wynne Jones presented the charity with a cheque for £10,000 raised as a result of his challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro last October.

Mr. Wynne Jones from Cwmffrwd, a former music advisor to Carmarthenshire County Council decided to climb Africa’s highest mountain as 60th birthday present ‘treat’ following his retirement. Having worked closely with Young Music Makers of Dyfed over the last 23 years, he realised that the challenge would also provide an opportunity to raise money for the charity which offers young people from Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion the opportunity to work with professional musicians.

The cheque was presented at Neuadd y Dderwen, Rhosygilwen, during a weekend of music-making organised by the Young Music Makers.

On Saturday, the title Young Musician of Dyfed was won by guitarist George Nash, a former pupil of Penglais School, Aberystwyth, now studying at the Academy Contemporary Music, Guildford. Clarinettist Ioan Price, a pupil at Penglais School was runner-up and trombonist Ifan Llywellyn, of Ysgol Penweddig, Aberystwyth, came third. Many former winners of the competition have gone on to forge very successful musical careers, including three royal harpists to HRH The Prince of Wales.

The weekend culminated in a celebration concert by violinist Steve Bingham and percussionist Chris Brannick. They performed 15 new works written for them by participants in the Dyfed Young Composers Scheme.

“I am thrilled to have achieved my target or raising £10,000 for the charity,” said Mr. Wynne Jones. “Not only will it provide us with some financial stability, but it will allow us to extend our activities beyond the Young Musician and Young Composer schemes. Next year, we plan to offer masterclasses to young ensembles from Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion”.