HRH The Duke of Edinburgh has become the new Royal Patron of the Congress Theatre in Cwmbran.
He visited the theatre on 10 November 2022 as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
During the visit, he met trustees, volunteers and other key people who run the venue. Then he watched 26 members of Congress Youth Theatre do a four-minute performance on stage.
The theatre was opened by the Duchess of Kent on 19 October 1972. In 1992, following the threat of closure a group of committed volunteers took it over and made it a registered charity.
He met shoppers in Gwent Square after leaving the theatre
Martyn Redwood, the theatre’s manager, said: “The Board of Trustees, staff and volunteers at the theatre are delighted with this news which we see as not only a reward for all the years of hard work to keep the theatre viable, but also in recognition of Congress Theatre’s contribution to the cultural life of Torfaen.
“The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Congress Theatre in Cwmbran in November 2022 as part of the celebrations for our 50th Anniversary. To mark the occasion, a special plaque, made of Welsh slate, was unveiled by His Royal Highness when he was The Earl of Wessex and Forfar.”