Lea to perform for Wales fans at Euro 2025

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor student Lea Mererid Roberts is heading to Switzerland to play in an all-girl band accompanying the Wales women’s football team as they begin their Euro 2025 campaign.

Talented musician Lea will play with Welsh folk collective TwmpDaith in Lucerne, where Rhian Wilkinson’s side will kick off their tournament against the Netherlands on Saturday (July 5).

TwmpDaith will perform in a special reception for First Minister Eluned Morgan in the Swiss City on Friday, and in the fan zone the same day, before playing outside the Allmend Stadion on the Saturday as fans arrive for the historic game.

The girls will also get to enjoy the football, as they have been given tickets to watch the Netherlands match - which will be Wales women’s first ever game in a major tournament finals.

While in Lucerne, TwmpDaith will also play at a ‘Women Making Music’ gig and various other events in the city, raising awareness of traditional Welsh music.

The trip to Switzerland marks the beginning of a very busy summer for Lea, who is studying Music, Welsh and Sociology A-levels at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s Pwllheli campus.

The 17-year-old from Pwllheli plays the piano, clarinet and saxophone, and is currently working towards Grade 8 in all three instruments.

For the second year running, she has been hand-picked to be a member of TwmpDaith, a Welsh ceilidh supergroup which will be playing at major cultural events including the National Eisteddfod and Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau, as well as Euro 2025.

The band consists of young musicians and dancers from all over Wales, brought together through ‘Prosiect WYTH’, a Welsh Arts Council-funded project to promote traditional Welsh dancing and music. The name ‘TwmpDaith’ comes from the Welsh words twmpath (Welsh Ceilidh) and taith (journey).

Under the project, Lea will be mentored throughout the summer by musicians Gwilym Bowen Rhys and Meinir Siencyn.

She is also a member of her own band, Nod1, who will be playing a series of gigs across Wales during the summer.

At the end of the summer, Lea will jet off with the Urdd on a cultural exchange trip to Ireland, where she will visit musical project TG Lurgan to learn about traditional Irish music.

Following that, she will head into the second year of her A-levels, after which she hopes to study Music at either Cardiff or Bangor University.

Last year, Lea was the recipient of the Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor Dolgellau Music Club scholarship of £500. She also had an integral part in the Christmas show at the Pwllheli campus, playing the saxophone.

As well as being musically talented, Lea is a gifted writer, and was awarded first prize in the short story competition at this year’s Urdd National Eisteddfod.

Lea said: “College has been really supportive of me during the last year. The education and the opportunities that they offer are fantastic. For me, the support to follow all these extra-curricular activities has been instrumental in all my success.

“The music and Welsh departments in Pwllheli have given me not only the opportunity, but also the confidence to follow my dreams.”

Asked which opportunity she was most excited about this summer, Lea said: “It’s really difficult to choose which one I’m most looking forward to, but I’m sure having the opportunity to play in Switzerland during the Euros is going to be really special.”

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor assistant principal Fflur Rees Jones said: “As a college we are incredibly proud of Lea and her outstanding achievements. Her dedication and recent achievements are truly inspiring and her success reflects the hard work she's invested over the years. We wish Lea all the best for the future.”

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai offers more than 30 A-levels at its Sixth Form centres in Dolgellau, Llangefni, Pwllheli, Rhos-on-Sea and Rhyl. College is a great opportunity to make new friends, try something new and gain more independence. Learn more here.