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A club in Aberbargoed is putting on a fundraiser this weekend to help fund a singing competition and help the wider community.

The ‘Christmas party fundraiser’ will start at 7pm at the Arthur Balfour Conservative Club. Tickets are £3 and those attending are invited to wear their worst Christmas jumpers as there will be an ‘ugly Christmas jumper competition’.

Attendees are promised a “party atmosphere” with lots of “cheesy music” and other entertainment including raffles, name the bear, hoy card bingo and live entertainment from the local singers and a Neil Diamond tribute act. 

The money raised will be divided between two causes, half will be donated to Velindre Cancer Centre and the other half will fund the prize money for the ‘Search 4 Stars’ talent competition.

The competition will take place in February at the club and will hopefully help find the ‘next big thing in Wales’ according to the organiser, Lisa James. 

“We want to help acts get out there that are decent,” she said.

“[We will] show them how to act [and] have stage presence,” said Lisa, adding that participants will receive advice on these things from artists who have worked in the music industry.

The talent competitions have taken place before and are coming back to help find talent but also to help support local clubs, which are struggling to make money and get people through the door. 

“Clubs are struggling,” said Lisa, who is a retired singer herself. “[They] can’t afford to pay quality acts.”

The talent competition will enable children to showcase their talents. Amateur singers above the age of 14, with adult permission, are welcome to sign up. 

Applications for ‘Search 4 Stars’ can be made by contacting s4s.cymru@gmail.com

The Arthur Balfour Conservative Club is located on 113 Commercial St, Aberbargoed.