Category : Wales
Date : 21.04.2004
Printable version
The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has
announced the appointment of five new members of the Broadcasting Council
for Wales: Dennis Gethin of Pontypridd; Monica Mahoney
of Porthcawl; Christopher Nott of Cardiff; Jane James
of New Moat near Haverfordwest; and Rhianon Passmore of Risca.
Dennis Gethin is no stranger to the media following his high-profile
tenure as Secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union during one of the most
turbulent times in its history.
Monica Mahoney hails originally from New York but made her name as a
broadcaster and media consultant in Wales before, more recently, moving
into the voluntary sector.
Christopher Nott, joint managing partner of Cardiff law firm Capital
Law, is a board member of Business in the Community Wales.
Rhianon Passmore is a former lecturer with a background in social exclusion
work and community project development.
They will take up their new positions in April.
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Jane James, who farms in Pembrokeshire and is Director
of the Prince's Trust in Wales, will rejoin the Broadcasting Council
for Wales in August.
They will replace Glyn Powell, Rian Evans, Alan Rees and Alan Meredith
whose terms in office ended in March.
Merfyn Jones, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ National Governor for Wales, said: "The
out-going members have served the Broadcasting Council of Wales superbly
and I count myself privileged to have been able to call on their support
and advice.
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"We are very lucky to have recruited such able
replacements to fill their shoes."
Notes to Editors
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Dennis Gethin was brought up in Seven Sisters
and educated at Neath Grammar School where he excelled both academically
and on the sports field.
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He represented Welsh Schools at rugby and went on to
win a blue at Cambridge before returning to Neath to wear the famous
Welsh All Blacks shirt in the Sixties.
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At the same time he developed a successful career as
a solicitor in local government in South Wales and rose to become Chief
Executive of Taff-Ely Borough Council.
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In 1998, he took over as Secretary of the Welsh Rugby
Union and presided over a tumultuous period that included the staging
of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Steve Hansen's appointment as national
coach, the establishment of the Celtic League and the extensive deliberations
that preceded the advent of regional rugby in Wales.
Monica Mahoney has lived for the past nine years in Porthcawl
but was born in New York City.
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As a successful media consultant and broadcaster, she
has been a familiar figure on radio and television in Wales and is also
Vice-Chair of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales Broadcast Appeals Advisory Committee.
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Following the events of September 11 2001, Monica made
the decision to enter the voluntary sector.
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Now a fellow of the Millennium Awards, Monica has joined
Wales Council for Voluntary Action as a Millennium Award support worker
developing projects and programmes that reinvigorate community participation
and enterprise.
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She is also studying for a professional degree in Community
Regeneration at the University of Glamorgan.
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Monica stood as the Plaid Cymru candidate in Bridgend
at the 2001 General Election.
Christopher Nott is one of the country's leading employment lawyers.
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A founder partner of Capital Law in his native Cardiff,
he is also the Welsh representative on the national committee of the
Employment Lawyers Association and is an Employment Tribunal chairman.
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He is a board member of Business in the Community Wales
and, formerly, a chairman of Cardiff Community Housing Association and
a board member of Arts & Business Cymru.
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A qualified rugby referee and non-executive director
of Cardiff Rugby Club, his legal skills proved valuable as he helped
guide the club through the difficult move to regional rugby.
Rhianon Passmore is a musician, lecturer and teacher in arts
and music who has come to prominence as a community leader and campaigner.
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Her work in setting up and chairing the Tysign Tenants
and Residents Association in Risca led to her becoming a finalist in
last year's Western Mail Welsh Woman of the Year awards and she has
championed issues as diverse as care for the elderly, arts development,
youth participation in politics and environmental issues.
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She chairs a community partnership organisation which
has helped to develop youth and community facilities in the South Wales
valleys and is researching arts provision in areas of social exclusion.
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Rhianon stood as the Labour/Co-operative Party candidate
in Ceredigion at the 2003 Welsh Assembly elections.
Jane James was born in Solihull in Warwickshire but runs a farm
in Pembrokeshire.
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A winner of the NFU/NatWest Wales Woman Farmer of the
Year award in 1998, Jane is a former general manager of the Welsh Meat
Company Β– a co-operative that procures and markets high quality
beef and lamb from Welsh farms.
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She is also vice-chairman of the National Farmers' Union
Food Standards Committee, but Jane's interests extend well beyond agriculture.
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She is now Director for the Prince's Trust in Wales,
runs the Wood Park 4x4 Off-Road Driving Centre, is chair of governors
of her local school and is a Licensed Reader of the Church in Wales.
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This will be Jane's second term as a member of the Broadcasting
Council for Wales, having served previously from 1999 to 2003.
