We match people with a learning disability with a volunteer who shares the same interests, so they can enjoy social activities together.
Anglesey, Cardiff, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Neath, Port Talbot, Swansea, Wrexham. Gig Buddies Cymru is a befriending scheme that matches people with a learning disability in Wales* with a volunteer who shares the same interests, so they can enjoy social activities together.
*In South Wales we cover Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Vale of Glamorgan. In North Wales we cover all six counties – Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, and Wrexham.
23/12/2025
That's a wrap on 2025!
It's been a phenomenal year of friendship, achievements, and new experiences for gig buddies across Wales.
We want to say a big cheery Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda to all our gig buddies and friends. Diolch yn fawr iawn to everyone we have worked with and who has supported us this year - especially all our amazing gig buddies!
We're closed until Monday 5 January. We will see you in 2026!
A dyna ni am 2025!
Mae wedi bod yn flwyddyn ragorol o gyfeillgarwch, cyflawniadau, a phrofiadau newydd i ffrindiau gig ledled Cymru.
Rydym eisiau dweud Nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda i’n holl ffrindiau gig a chyfeillion. Diolch yn fawr iawn i bawb sydd wedi gweithio gyda ni ac wedi’n cefnogi eleni – yn enwedig ein holl ffrindiau gig ardderchog!
Rydym ar gau tan ddydd Llun 5 Ionawr. Fe welwn ni chi yn 2026!
18/12/2025
17/12/2025
Gig buddies from across north Wales partied at our fabulously festive Christmas socials in Caernarfon and Chester earlier this month.
In Caernarfon, we enjoyed watching the festive Christmas lights switch-on followed by delicious pizza and drinks. And in Chester, we gathered for food and drinks at Chester Market.
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda to all of our gig buddies and friends across Wales!
12/12/2025
We will be at this important and awesome gig tomorrow at Sin City Swansea - and our good friend Dev from IDLES is DJing. All proceeds go to charity.
🎶 SOUNDS OF SOLIDARITY – LIVE IN SWANSEA! 🎶
📍 Sin City, Swansea
📅 Saturday, December 13, 2025 from 7pm til late
Get ready for an unforgettable night of music, unity, and community – headlined by a special DJ set from Adam Devonshire (‘Dev’) of IDLES!
This event is an incredible collaboration of musicians, DJs and MCs and PR and music event professionals from Swansea, Cardiff and Bristol all playing and working for free so all profits go to charity.
Apologies for messing up the poster to try to make it look new!)
Sounds of Solidarity Sin City Swansea Idles fan page IDLES
12/12/2025
He's done it!! Richie hit 100 gigs of the year last night at Porter's Cardiff watching Po Griff, Ivor Woods and Salad Saladson. Richie's gig buddy Mark, gig buddies Tim and Dan from Gig Buddies Gloucestershire, our north Wales ambassador Vic, and friends Nigel, Gareth and Kai joined Richie to celebrate.
Richie said: "I just want to say thank you to Gig Buddies, friends, music promoters and bands who got me this far. Thank you from Richie ❤️"
It's a huge achievement for and it shows what's achievable when you have friends and an inclusive, accessible music scene.
Richie's goal for next year is to go to as many music festivals as possible. He will be at FOCUS Wales, The Weekend Rumble, 2000 Trees Festival, Sŵn and Cardiff Music City - and Richie's dream is to go to Green Man Festival.
Volunteer as a gig buddy > Make a new friend > Go to lots of gigs and other social activities together. Get in touch to find out more: gigbuddies@ldw.org.uk
10/12/2025
Gig Buddies North Wales is looking for a Senior Coordinator to join our team. If you are committed to helping us address the inequalities people with a learning disability face, then this new job might be for you.
We are delighted that Gig Buddies Cymru has received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to expand our work in North Wales over the next 3 years.
We have recently appointed a new Project Ambassador and Project Support Coordinator who have joined our team alongside our two existing coordinators.
We are now looking for a dynamic, friendly and passionate Welsh speaking Senior Coordinator to:
- Recruit new participants and volunteers and create new gig buddy pairs as well as support our existing buddies in the counties of Gwynedd and Ynys Mon.
- Help us lead, promote and develop the project in the six counties of North Wales.
- Mentor the two existing Coordinators who cover Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.
- Facilitate the project’s new steering group.
- Monitor and report on the project’s progress.
Mae Ffrindiau Gig Gogledd Cymru yn chwilio am Uwch Gydlynydd i ymuno â’n tîm. Os ydych chi wedi ymrwymo i’n helpu i fynd i’r afael â’r anghydraddoldebau y mae pobl ag anabledd dysgu yn eu hwynebu, yna efallai y bydd y swydd newydd hon i chi.
Rydym wrth ein bodd bod Ffrindiau Gig Cymru (Gig Buddies Cymru) wedi derbyn cyllid gan Gronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol i ehangu ein gwaith yng Ngogledd Cymru dros y 3 blynedd nesaf.
Yn ddiweddar, rydym wedi penodi Llysgennad Prosiect newydd a Chydlynydd Cymorth Prosiect sydd wedi ymuno â’n tîm ochr yn ochr â’n dau gydlynydd presennol
Rydym nawr yn chwilio am Uwch Gydlynydd deinamig, cyfeillgar ac angerddol sy’n siarad Cymraeg. Fe fyddwch yn:
- Recriwtio cyfranogwyr a gwirfoddolwyr newydd a chreu parau Ffrindiau Gig newydd yn ogystal â chefnogi ein ffrindiau presennol yn siroedd Gwynedd ac Ynys Môn.
- Helpu ni i arwain, hyrwyddo a datblygu’r prosiect yn chwe sir yng ngogledd Cymru.
- Mentora’r ddau Gydlynydd presennol sy’n cwmpasu Conwy, Sir Ddinbych, Sir y Fflint a Wrecsam.
- Hwyluso grŵp llywio newydd y prosiect.
- Monitro ac adrodd ar gynnydd y prosiect.
Dyddiad cau: 19 Ionawr 2026
Rhagor o wybodaeth yn:
Mae Ffrindiau Gig Gogledd Cymru yn chwilio am Uwch Gydlynydd i ymuno â’n tîm. Os ydych chi wedi ymrwymo i’n helpu i fynd i’r afael â’r anghydraddoldebau y mae pobl ag anabledd dysgu yn eu hwynebu, yna efallai y bydd y swydd newydd hon i chi. Mae Ffrindiau Gig Cymru yn brosiect cyfeillgarw...
05/12/2025
Yesterday evening, the first of two of our Gig Buddies North Wales Christmas Socials took place in Caernarfon. Buddies enjoyed watching the Christmas lights switch-on followed by delicious pizza and drinks at Tân Woodfired Pizza. We also bumped into Hedydd (gig buddy volunteer, matched with Paul) and Andrea (gig buddy participant).
Gig Buddies activities are endless... You could be fitness buddies, theatre buddies, shopping buddies, museum buddies, dancing buddies... the list goes on!
We are currently looking for Gig Buddy volunteers from across Wales! Interested or just want to find out more? Awesome! You can visit gigbuddies.cymru, e-mail gigbuddies@ldw.org.uk or phone 029 2068 1160.
Ar hyn o bryd rydym yn chwilio am wirfoddolwyr o bob cwr o Gymru i fod yn Ffrindiau Gigiau! Oes gennych chi ddiddordeb neu hoffech chi gael gwybod mwy? Gallwch ymweld â gigbuddies.cymru, anfon e-bost i gigbuddies@ldw.org.uk neu ffonio 029 2068 1160.
04/12/2025
Cardiff gig buddy Richie caught his 97th gig of the year this week!! Richie and his gig buddy Mark saw The Last Dinner Party and Imogen and the Knife at Utilita Arena Cardiff and while they were they bumped into Richie's mate Abbie - one of the many friends Richie has made on the south Wales gig scene.
Richie said he enjoyed both bands but his favourite was Imogen and the Knife - "They were dreamy, meditative, fantastic, like Florence and the Machine."
Richie's goal is to get to 100 gigs this year and we think he's going to smash it!
Richie has an excellent Instagram where he reviews and supports all the gigs he goes to. Give him a follow at .
We're currently looking for new gig buddy volunteers in Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot - and all across north Wales. Get in touch to find out how you can change someone's life by doing the things you love together. Email gigbuddies@ldw.org.uk or drop us a message here.
03/12/2025
Absolutely fantastic line-up for Newport Music Trail in March - all the gigs are FREE and most are in accessible venues. 💥❤️🔥🙏🏽💫
🚨 Breaking news – the line up for Newport Music Trail 2026 has been announced! 🚨
Goldie Lookin Chain (GLC) and Melin Melyn will be taking to the stage over the weekend of Friday 27 and Saturday 28 March 2026. 🤩
In collaboration with FOCUS Wales the lineup also will also feature an exciting mix of artists including Georgia Ruth, HMS Morris, Yaang, Twst and many more! 🎤🎸🎵
Bydd Goldie Lookin’ Chain a Melin Melyn ar y llwyfan dros benwythnos dydd Gwener 27 a dydd Sadwrn 28 Mawrth 2026. 🤩
Mewn cydweithrediad â FOCUS Wales, bydd y lein-yp hefyd yn cynnwys cymysgedd cyffrous o artistiaid gan gynnwys Georgia Ruth, HMS Morris, Yaang, Twst, a llawer mwy! 🎸🎤🎵
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Gig Buddies is a befriending scheme that matches people with a learning disability and/or autism in Bridgend, Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf and the Vale of Glamorgan, with volunteers who share the same interests, so they can go to gigs and events together.
Funded by First Choice Housing Association, and managed by Learning Disability Wales, we specifically focus on events that happen in the evenings, such as concerts, in order to break the many barriers that stop people with a learning disability going out at night and staying up late.
These barriers include lack of support, or inflexible support that forces people to leave events early. Other obstacles include transport, confidence, safety, and accessibility of venues and events. Most importantly, Gig Buddies are free to choose what their ‘gig’ is and when and where they want to go.
What kind of Gig Buddy do you want?
A ‘gig’ can be a concert or a festival, but it can also be a rugby match, a trip to a museum or theme park, or a visit to the beach. Your Gig Buddy could be a Football Buddy, a Bowling Buddy, a Rambling Buddy, a Quiz Buddy, a Roller Skating Buddy, a Surfing Buddy. If you find it difficult to get to events and gigs a Gig Buddy can make this possible for you. It’s all down to you to tell us what kind of Buddy you want!
We are currently looking for:
Adults with a learning disability in Cardiff who need support to go to gigs and events. You need to live in Bridgend, Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf or the Vale of Glamorgan to get a Gig Buddy. You Gig Buddy can support you to go to gigs and events in your area, or events that happen outside your area.
Volunteers who can support adults in Bridgend, Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf and the Vale of Glamorgan to go to gigs and events. Volunteers must live in these areas are close by.
Our Gig Buddies team is Kai Jones, Project Coordinator for Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and the Vale of Glamorgan, and Kylie Smith, Project Administrator for Cardiff. Get in touch by email: gigbuddies@ldw.org.uk or phone: 07707 605 314 / 07594 938 522 / Office: 029 2068 1160.
Watch this video to see some of the amazing times we’ve had at Gig Buddies
