BBC Worldwide have announced the official opening date for their multi-award winning attraction the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff, the home of the BBC One show. Doors will open to the public on the 20th July with tickets going on sale at 10am on the 14th June.  Paula Al-Lach, Head of Exhibitions and Events at BBC Worldwide formally accepted the keys to the Experience’s distinctive new home in Cardiff Bay this afternoon and the first exhibits are already being moved in.

Philip Murphy, Managing Director of BBC Worldwide Live Events said: “The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff is going to be just minutes away from where the BBC Wales television series is made which I’m incredibly excited about. The Experience sets out to engage visitors’ imaginations from the outset immersing them in the world of Doctor Who and what better place to do this than in Cardiff the home of the show.”

The Doctor Who Experience is the first ever interactive Doctor Who exhibition that invites visitors to star in their very own Doctor Who adventure. Arriving at the venue they will step through a crack in time to become the Doctor’s companion, taking on the challenge of reuniting the Doctor with the TARDIS whilst fending off threats from some of his most fearsome foes – entering a Dalek spaceship and finding a way through a maze of Weeping Angels. Featuring a replica of the Eleventh Doctor’s TARDIS which visitors get to fly themselves the interactive walk-through culminates in a stunning 3D finale that sets the scene for fans entering the exhibition.

The exhibition presents fans with the world’s most extensive collection of original Doctor Who costumes and artefacts stretching back almost 50 years to the very first series of Doctor Who.

The content of the exhibition is updated constantly with new items from the television series to ensure it is ever changing offering fans the chance to get up close to the incredible sets, costumes and props that feature in their favourite show.  New items to be shown to the public for the first time in Cardiff include the Doctor’s cradle seen in A Good Man Goes to War; the Silence spaceship and Matt Smith’s sonic cane from Let’s Kill Hitler with many more items being kept under wraps until the doors open on 20th July. 

The Lord Mayor of Cardiff has been presented with a cake from a long forgotten recipe book published in 1807 called the London Art of Cookery.

The cake, using an original recipe from the book was presented to the Lord Mayor by Jenny Kenna – author of the forthcoming cookery book a ‘Georgian Kitchen in Wales.’

The recipes for many fine dishes prepared for previous Cardiff Lord Mayors including the Marquess of Bute at his family banquets also came from The London Art of Cookery.

And Cardiff’s first elected Mayor, Thomas Revel Guest, in 1835 no doubt would have consumed dishes from the original cookery book at civic banquets at that time.

An original edition of The London Art of Cookery was inherited by Jenny’s husband.  Generations of his family considered this treasure too precious to be displayed so, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, the book had always been stored out of sight.

When the time had come for it to be unwrapped and its contents examined, Jenny was fascinated. She was holding culinary history in her hands and, as she pored over the old recipes, she felt compelled to delve into the past and discover why this book had belonged to her husband’s family, the Allens.

The trail took her back to late 18th Century Cardiff, and a surprise. She discovered that the family had owned a thriving catering and confectionery business at 3 Duke Street, adjacent to Cardiff Castle.

The book is packed with recipes. Some will be old favourites, but many are unfamiliar – such as Quaking Pudding (pictured), Beef Gobbets, Pickling Nasturtiums, Whigs and Love Apple Sauce.

Jenny said: “I decided to update many of the recipes for my new book, and, as I did in my last book, Susan’s Secrets, a Victorian Kitchen in Wales, I assembled an array of friends, actors, television personalities, writers, sportsmen and chefs to test and taste them. I am honoured to be able to present a cake from A Georgian Kitchen in Wales to Cardiff’s Lord Mayor.”

The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Professor Delme Bowen said: “I was delighted to receive a ‘slice of Welsh History’ from Jenny and I look forward to trying many more of the recipes contained in her forthcoming book.”

A Georgian Kitchen in Wales, researched and written by Jenny Kenna, will be published by Ceiniog later this year.

You can download “The London Art of Cookery and Domestic Housekeepers’ complete assistant” from here.

Cardiff Blues have held on to their Welsh international winger Alex Cuthbert,  with the young star deciding to sign a new contract extension with the region.

Cuthbert underlined his credentials during the Blues Heineken Cup campaign in November scoring a brace of tries against Racing Metro in Paris and was picked for Wales soon after, making his debut against Australia in December 2011.

It has been a meteoric rise from UWIC, Cardiff RFC, and Cardiff Blues to Wales Grand Slam winner for the young Gloucester man who extends his contract with the Cardiff Blues this week.

Speaking of his decision to stay with the region, Cuthbert, said:

“I am very pleased to be re signing for another year with The Blues and I can now look forward to the summer tour with Wales and next season with the region”

“I had a few offers outside of Wales and having gone through all the options thoroughly with family and friends, I came to the conclusion that the best option was to stay at the Blues, showing my loyalty to the region, coaches and the fans”

“Playing for Wales was a huge part of my decision to stay with the Blues and playing for the region regularly will hopefully strengthen my chances of keeping my place in the Wales team.”

“Obviously with Phil taking over as Head Coach it’s exciting times for the region as well. I know Phil from my time with the Wales Sevens where he was involved. He’s a great coach, I’ve heard he’s very well organized and puts good structures in place which I know will benefit the club next season.”

“I’m also very excited that the Blues are moving back to the Arms Park, I’m yet to play there in front of a full crowd so hopefully we can do that next season. I’ve watched a few games down there and the atmosphere is unbelievable and if we maintain good crowds that will help us no end on the pitch.”

Cardiff Blues CEO Richard Holland added,

“Following discussions and negotiations with Alex and his agent we are delighted that he has extended his contract with the region.”

“Alex has had a phenomenal first season, going from playing for Cardiff RFC, to the Blues and winning a Grand Slam with Wales and he will certainly strengthen our squad next season.”

“This is more positive news for Cardiff Blues supporters ahead of our move back to the Arms Park next season.”

The Cardiff Story Museum has teamed up with two of Cardiff’s top music institutions, Clwb Ifor Bach and Spillers Records, to curate The Cardiff Sessions, a night of free live music in the museum’s galleries.

On  May 18 , five Cardiff acts – The Gentle Good (pictured), Spencer McGarry, Evening Chorus, Miss Maud’s Folly and Little Arrow -  all hand picked by The Cardiff Story, Clwb Ifor Bach and Spillers Records, will take the stage for The Cardiff Sessions. Radio Wales DJ Georgia Ruth Williams will MC the night, which will also include a music quiz with prizes provided by Spillers Records.

The event is part of the Museums at Night, an annual after-hours celebration of arts, culture and heritage when hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites open their doors for special evening events. It is coordinated by Culture24, and takes place over the weekend of Friday 18 to Sunday 20 May. The Cardiff Sessions will celebrate some of the best live music Cardiff has to offer, and also give visitors a chance to see the galleries and the city’s history in a new light, completely free of charge.

The Cardiff Story Museum opened its doors for the first time in 2011 to become the only museum dedicated to telling the city’s tale. The Museum focuses on portraying Cardiff’s history through the eyes of those who made it – its people.

The new Museum provides both an introduction to the city for visitors and a community resource for residents. The Museum is open seven days a week and entry is free.

The Museum’s collection is made up of over 3,000 objects, the vast majority of which has been donated by the Cardiff public. Items on display in the museum range from a cutlass used by the Bute Docks police in the late 19th Century to a jukebox from Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiffians danced to 100 years later.  The Cardiff Story also worked in partnership with the National Museum of Wales to allow Cardiffians access to over 8000 Cardiff related objects in their collection. Many of these are on display in the Cardiff in Context gallery.

The new Museum is located on the site of the iconic Victorian Grade II* listed Old Library. The Museum includes a permanent introductory gallery (Cardiff in Context), a fully interactive lifelong learning suite (City Lab), state of the art classrooms, a community showcase gallery and access to the Grade II* Listed historic tiled corridor.

The Museum’s phase 1 development was completed in 2011 with funding from Cardiff Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, the Engelhardt family’s Moondance Foundation, the Welsh Assembly Government via Museums, Libraries and Archives (CyMAL) and the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries Wales with kind contributions from donors to the Big Give public appeal as well as various community groups across the city.

Rachel Carney, Learning Officer at The Cardiff Story said: “We’re really excited about The Cardiff Sessions. It’s not the kind of event you’d usually expect to find in a museum, so it’s a great opportunity to attract new audiences to the galleries. Clwb Ifor Bach and Spillers are the mother ships of the Cardiff music scene – nobody is better placed to curate an evening of some of the best our city has to offer!”

Catrin James, Events Programmer at Clwb Ifor Bach said: “It’s an honour for Clwb Ifor Bach to be part of ‘The Cardiff Sessions’ for Museums at Night 2012. The Cardiff Story is an unique museum that celebrates not only it’s social history but it’s current cultural tapestry of music / theatre & art and beyond. I’m really excited about the night and looking forward to hearing the musicians play in the wonderful surroundings of the museums galleries.”

The Bands

The Gentle Good

The Gentle Good is the stage-name of Cardiff born songwriter Gareth Bonello. Writing in both English and Welsh, The Gentle Good create beautiful modern folk music tinted with psychedelia that has seen the critical press draw comparisons with such luminaries as Nick Drake, Martin Carthy, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, John Martyn and Donovan. Since Gareth began performing in 2005 his music has become a prominent feature of the Welsh music scene and is regularly broadcast on both Welsh and English language radio and television.

Spencer McGarry Season

A project from Cardiff based composer Spencer McGarry to record 6 albums in 6 different styles, he is currently halfway through having completed a rock, orchestral and electronic pop albums. He will be performing solo, playing songs from forthcoming R’N'B and folk albums.

Evening Chorus

Evening Chorus are currently working on their debut album: a follow up to their self released studio EP, Acorn. Their preference is to small intimate venues delivering handsome, personal acoustic performances. This quaint pretence extends itself to their releases and to their ethos, favouring DIY handmade affairs and a passionate yet flippant attitude towards their career. Evening Chorus offer no pomp nor ceremony but simply pleasant music for those who care to listen.

Miss Maud’s Folly

Miss Maud’s Folly perform a blend of gypsy, jazz and folk tunes, full of beautiful imagery and delightful instrumental arrangements. From raucous, breakneck-paced gypsy tunes to delicate Spanish lullabies; from velvety jazz numbers to lolloping honky-tonk saloon music – the band delights and excites audiences every time they perform.

Little Arrow

Little Arrow are an emerging talent based in Pembrokeshire Wales. The latest musical venture and brainchild of William Hughes, they are an indie-folk outfit combining great songwriting and musicianship with strong textures and driven enthusiasm, which make their live performances a toe tapping moment not easily forgotten.

Over the last 6 months they have established themselves on the Cardiff music scene with numerous gigs, radio plays, great reviews and a growing fan base.Their debut album, Music, Masks and Poems, released last year through Bubblewrap Collective, was well received and their second album is due to be released later this year.

A great family weekend is promised with a series of dramatic military displays by soldiers in full authentic costume, a Roman version of ‘Ready Steady Cook’, mini – gladiator games for children and the chance to march with a Roman soldier.  Plus, everyday Roman life will be on display too with a close look at the ‘Day in the Life of a Roman Woman’ and the latest news on all the fashion trends.

With dramatic demonstrations of sophisticated fighting techniques and battle tactics, artillery and a working bolt thrower, it will be easy to appreciate how the Romans were such a formidable force and how they were able to establish control of Cardiff.

For centuries, Cardiff Castle’s Roman past remained hidden and forgotten beneath banks of earth until 1888 when the 3rd Marquess of Bute’s workmen made an amazing discovery and uncovered the original stone wall of the Roman fort.  Such was the excitement, Lord Bute, a rich and scholarly patron, ordered that the Roman walls be reconstructed. The walls you see today surrounding Cardiff Castle mark the footprint of the Roman fort and the original stonework is clearly identified by being outlined in red sandstone.

This weekend’s event, with all its action, sights and sounds will be a great way to celebrate the legacy of the Romans at Cardiff Castle.

The Romans Return

Sat 19 May – Sun 20 May, 10am – 5pm
Cardiff Castle Grounds
Special event ticket: Adults £4.50; Seniors £3.75; Children £3 (under 5s free)
Cardiff Castle Key holders and Season Ticket holders: £2 (Adults), £1 (Children)
For full details of all Cardiff Castle events and the 2012 programme visit www.cardiffcastle.com

After hundreds of entries and three incredible nights of live music at The Globe, folk, roots band  Rusty Shackle have won The Big Gig 2012. They put on a blistering performance which just pipped the flamboyant funky indie pop of Palomino Party.

The banjo plucking maestros from Monmouthshire will now join Brit Award winner Emeli Sande, You Me at Six and Cardiff band Kids in Glass Houses to perform at the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Special City Celebration, presented by Coca-Cola, in Cooper’s Field Cardiff on May 25th. Cardiff dance group Rubicon Dance and 80 strong group who will also take part in the relay event as part of celebrating the community.

Liam Collins, Rusty Shackle’s singer said “We’re buzzing this morning, we don’t normally win things, we usually lose and moan. Now we have nothing to moan about!”

The band will also receive airplay on Nation Radio and all finalists will receive studio recording time at the Machinerooms recording studio in Cardiff.

In third place were anarchic Cardiff youngsters Disciple whose big rock sound belied their age. Also in the final were the terrific rapper and showman Dretonio, melodic, 60s influenced The Knox who won the youth final on Monday and Breakdown Face whose extraordinary performance in Monday’s youth final has already become legendary.

Over a hundred entries were received and the standard of entry was even higher than last years amazing debut competition.

The judges included Ben Evans and Owen Davies from Nation Radio, Dave Owens from the South Wales Echo, Est Wilkinson, former manager of Coldplay, Heather Brown of Cardiff Council and John Rostron from the Swn Festival.

The judges said “It was fantastic to see such a high standard of acts representative of Cardiff’s flourishing music scene ahead of next years Womex festival”

Rusty Shackle formed in early 2010 and their infectious pulse, style and musical genre – whilst potently contemporary – is difficult to pigeon hole and has been described by Plugged In magazine as the “Bombay Badboy of Folk” a reference to the hottest Pot Noodle on the market.  This said, elements of folk, rock, bluegrass, Celtic rhythms and Delta blues are clearly discernible. Either way, feet tap to whatever the specific nuance.

Stunning, high-energy live performances and boundless enthusiasm make sure you’ll leave exhausted, with their tunes swimming around your head for days after. They are well on the way to ensuring they are everywhere this coming summer.

The Shackle’s debut album ‘Wash Away These Nights’ has been very well received and reached number 22 in the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart, the singles reaching as high as number 2.
As Neil King from Fatea Showcases said, “Genre prostitution is a major feature of "Wash Away These Nights", rock, pop, gospel, blues, rockabilly, skiffle, are all thrown into the melting pot to produce an album that celebrates the art of having a good time.” The album thrives on musical diversity, whilst maintaining a cohesive sound to keep it all together.

Songs from the album were chosen for the main play-list on BBC Radio Wales, with singles ‘3AM’, ‘Cold Hearted Town’ and ‘Beating Heart of a Kingdom’ getting heavy rotation with several live sessions for the BBC and airplay and interviews on other stations – Radio 1, Nation Radio, Swansea Sound, Bro Radio, GTFM, Scarlets FM – indicate the exciting buzz around the band.

Pic: ChildLine volunteer counsellor, Annemarie Newbury “it’s been a fantastic experience “

Annemarie Newbury, a 20 year old student from Cardiff, underwent training at the beginning of this year to become a ChildLine volunteer counsellor at the online base in Cardiff and is now encouraging others to do the same.

ChildLine is the UK’s free 24-hour confidential helpline for children and young people who are in danger or distress and need someone to turn to. Every day, thousands of young people contact ChildLine – either by phone or online, to talk about the problems they face. The support and advice they receive calms fears, solves problems and, in the most extreme cases, even saves lives.

Annemarie started her training in February, and after completing the XX week course she was able to take part in her first counselling session in April.

Annemarie said: “I decided to become a ChildLine volunteer because I thought it would be a great experience for me and that I would learn a lot from it. I wanted to do something meaningful, to know I was making a difference in someone’s life.

“I found the training very challenging and it surprised me how much I needed to learn but it’s been a fantastic experience and one I’ll never forget.”

ChildLine supervisor at the Cardiff base, Amy Jones, said: “We urgently need people to fill a number of shifts throughout the week.  You don’t need to have formal training or qualifications in counselling to apply as we will provide full training to all successful applicants. All you need is a commitment to children and young people, an open mind and an ability to listen and support young people who need to talk.”

ChildLine volunteer counsellor, Annemarie, continued: “Every online chat I have with a child is unique, not one chat is ever the same. At times it can be challenging and difficult but at the same time rewarding to know how much we are helping them. Often all children want is to be listened to, to know that someone is there to support them. However, knowing that there are more children waiting to make contact can be heart-breaking. There are only so many children that one counsellor can talk to but you can’t help wanting to talk to them all.”

Anyone over the age of 16 can volunteer for ChildLine and the NSPCC welcomes applications from all walks of life, including Welsh speakers.  Potential volunteers will initially need to commit to 50 hours for training and assessment. They will then be required to do a weekly shift for a minimum of 12 months.

If you would like further information about how to become a volunteer counsellor at the ChildLine online base in Cardiff, please contact Amy Jones or Louise Israel on 0203 188 3698.

To complete an application form visit www.nspcc.org.uk and search for ChildLine volunteering opportunities in Cardiff.

The deadline for application is midnight on Thursday 17 May 2012.

By MARTYN WINTERS. Cardiff new boy, Phil Davies, can’t wait to get stuck into running the region.

The ex-Worcester forwards coach was commenting on his appointment as Director of Rugby at the troubled capital city regional outfit. The former Scarlet outlined his plans for the region and his aim to stem the tide of poor results that have stricken the club in recent months.

Davies said: "There are a lot of good jobs in rugby but when you get offered the role of being the Director of Rugby for Cardiff Blues, which is one of the most recognised teams in Europe, then I didn’t have to think twice."

Phil Davies: I didn’t have to think twice

In a nod to the recent run, and his hopes for the future, he commented: "There’s a lot of work to be done but it’s a chance and an opportunity for the next generation to come through and keep the Blues region at the top of the game."

The severe financial restrictions afflicting all the regions in Wales was uppermost in his thoughts when he said: "The salary cap will focus the mind and I genuinely believe we have to work through the change, there maybe growing pains but we can become competitive again."

"There’s a lot of history that goes with the Blues region from the great Pontypridd teams from the 80′s and 90′s when Lynn Howells and Dennis John were coaching and Neil Jenkins was kick goals and Dale McIntosh charging everywhere, to the Cardiff RFC teams of Gareth Davies, Gareth Edwards and Terry Holmes. The heritage is massive and the passion is there."

"We need to get the region to understand that we are proud of that history but embrace it and move forward."

"I’m very humbled and privileged to have this role and will work as hard as I can to make sure it’s successful."

The finalists of the Big Gig have been chosen and will now compete against each other next week to be crowned the Big Gig Winner.

The winner will join Brit Award winner Emeli Sande (pictured) and Cardiff band Kids in Glass Houses by performing at the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Special City Celebration, presented by Coca-Cola, in Cooper’s Field Cardiff.

Over a hundred entries were received and the standard of entry was very high.

Three nights of live finals will now take place at the Globe music venue with tickets priced at £5 per night and £3.50 for concessions. Tickets are available from: The Globe or on line at the following websites: www.ticketlineuk.com, www.seetickets.com, www.wegottickets.com, www.eventbrite.co.uk

On Monday, May 7 the under-18s category will take part in a live final.On Tuesday, May 8 those short listed in the over-18s category will battle it out for their place in the final.

The six best bands will then compete in the Big Gig grand final on Wednesday, 9 May 2012.

Those short listed in the under 18’s category are:

Behind the line – A rock band, influenced by The Lost Prophets and Kids in Glasshouses.

The Knocks -  Melodic pop with a 60s influence.

Empire – Alternative rock with an impressive frontman

UTR – Indie rock influenced by Muse, Oasis and the Foo Fighters.

Disciples – Anarchic rock influenced by Rage Against The Machine

Breakdown Face – Satirical rock with tongue firmly planted in its cheek

The artists shortlisted for the over 18’ category are:

Rusty Shackle  -  Monmouthshire band who are a mix of breathless folk, blues, indie, skiffle, bluegrass and punk. They have already performed in festivals including  Greenman and Wychwood .

Denuo -  Cardiff based four-piece band who combine room-silencing moments of acoustic tranquillity with cinematic ambient rock. The band has already supported the Manic Street Preachers for their homecoming gig in Blackwood.

Eric Unseen- Hailing from Tredegar this retro pop-rock band performed at last year’s inaugural Merthyr Rock festival main stage, alongside acts such as GLC, Cast, Ocean Colour Scene and The Blackout.

Dretonio – An aspiring Cardiff singer/songwriter with a pop, hip hop and experimental feel.  Dretonio has supported  Tinie Tempah, Example, Katy B and Wretch 32.

Kyshera – Hailed as a “warped genius” by Radio One and “the best live band I have ever seen” by Plugged In Magazine, Kyshera from Caerphilly have done hundreds of gigs as far afield as Canada. Their long awaited album is out in October.

Palomino Party  – The band have recently played mini festivals and gigs at venues including, Ten Feet Tall, Gwdihw, and Clwb Ifor Bach. Wales Online recently named the Pontypridd band as one of seven bands to watch out for in 2012.

The judges will include Ben Davies from Nation Radio,  Dave Owens from the South Wales Echo and John Rostron from the Swn Festival.

Dan Nichols, Cardiff Councils, Events Development Officer, said:”This is the second Big Gig competition we have run and we have received a huge amout of entries, all to an amazing standard.

“The appetite for new music is always there and we have created this competition to give up and coming artists the opportunity to perform in front of a new audience. This year the winner of the Big Gig gets to play a part in history and perform at the Olympic celebrations in Cardiff. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and something to tell the grandchildren.”

Tories, Lib Dems and “Independents” all lose out as Labour makes gains

It was a stunning night for the Labour Party in Cardiff with the celebrations starting at just after 7:30 this morning when they took the seat that gave them 39 councillors, which represents an overall majority. Two seats have yet to be declared, Plasnewydd and Cathays, both of which are going to recounts.

In 2008, Labour had been reduced to just 13 seats in the capital and had slumped to being the third largest party behind both the ruling Liberal Democrats and the Tories, so the reversal of their fortunes must have put a smile on the faces of Cardiff Labour leader Heather Joyce and Wales’ First Minister Carwyn Jones.

The coalition parties suffered heavy defeats with the Conservatives being reduced just 7 seats on the new council. The Lib Dems fared slightly better, winning back 15 seats, although their leader’s future is hanging in the balance as he calls for a third recount having lost on the first two counts by just 14 votes. The recount will take place at one o’clock this afternoon.

Wales’s First Minister, Carwyn Jones (pictured) said: Labour had “reconnected with people”. He had been urging the electorate to use the vote as a referendum on the Westminster coalition and the message was loud and clear in Wales.

"The momentum is clearly with Welsh Labour tonight," he said.

"We are taking seats from every party across the country – with impressive gains in Wrexham, Caerphilly, Newport and a total Lib Dem wipe out in Merthyr.

"We have reconnected with people and our community campaigning has resonated with voters right across Wales."

Elsewhere in Wales, Labour has taken control of Newport and Swansea; the two other big jewels in the crown of Welsh politics.

In the Vale of Glamorgan, the Conservatives lost overall control of the council, with Labour now the largest party in an area that has been regarded as the Welsh Tory heartland. If Labour had taken a majority in The Vale, it would have represented meltdown point for the Tories, but they just held on to sufficient seats to deny Mr Jones the cherry on top of a cake that had already been mixed, baked and iced.