From Brecon to Bangor and back down to Newtown, being part of Erwood YFC over the past few months has been truly magical.

Our journey with our entertainment production, My Generation, has come to an incredible end as we were recently crowned National YFC Entertainment Champions.

Our production tells the stories of three men across three generations, each facing the challenges of their time. From 1939, where Owain Lloyd signs up to fight; to 1984, when William Lloyd deals with the struggles of the miners’ strike; to 2026, where Ellis Lloyd battles the pressures facing many young people today. The entertainment highlights that while time may change, the struggles and internal challenges we face often remain the same.

Written and produced by Samuel Powell, the production was also nominated for a range of performance awards. The three men playing - Rhodri Jones, Ryan Jones and Samuel Powell - along with Megan Powell, all received nominations in the under-28 category, while Rhodri Havard earned a nomination in the under-18 section for a supporting role.

From starting after Christmas, when rehearsals brought joy to the dark winter nights, our cast of 34 members aged between 10 and 28 have continued to bring incredible energy, commitment and enthusiasm to the production.

At the Welsh Finals in Bangor in March, we were delighted to earn a nomination for Best Female Performance Under 28 for Emma Jones, and to win Best Male Performance Under 28 for Samuel Powell. Following a four-week break, we began rehearsing again in mid-April - where the sunshine and bright evenings brought a welcome change from the usual winter darkness when we began rehearsing.

After picking up the title in Bangor, it was on to Newtown, where Wales hosted the Drama Finals for the first time.

The support from the audience was unbelievable, and every single member of the cast gave their all to leave everything out on the stage. We all sang and danced our hearts out, with musical highlights including It’s My Life, I Dreamed a Dream, and I’m Still Standing, taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster.

Comedic moments between the Sergeant and the Private, played by Robert Powell and Ieuan Williams, along with the head-to-head between Margery and Edith, played by Emma Jones and Megan Powell, created many light-hearted moments. The judge congratulated us on our use of humour to complement and emphasise the more thought-provoking moments, allowing the message to “hit harder.”

We would like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who has supported us, especially those who tirelessly go above and beyond backstage to make it all possible.

From Luke and Sharon Ferguson for their work creating the set and costumes, to Hazel Jukes and Ann Rees for their incredible support with painting, set work and makeup, and Wendy Powell and Joanne Jones, who ensure the technical side of the production runs smoothly - everything we achieved is thanks to the remarkable team we have in Erwood.

Members and helpers enjoyed a lovely evening celebrating our success, as club president Margaret Evans hosted a barbecue on her lawn. With over 70 in attendance, it was a perfect opportunity to watch back our performance from Newtown, celebrate with each other, and thank everyone for their hard work, commitment and enthusiasm.

So, from my generation to yours, thank you all.