A MUSICIAN from Penarth has helped set up a charity providing musical instruments to young people.

Rachel Ford is part of the Patagonia Instrument Project formed by musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

She, along with Christopher Stock, Phil Girling and Robert Samuel, travelled to Patagonia in 2015 with the national orchestra, to mark the 150th anniversary of the Welsh settlement there.

Now, they have set up a charity project to provide instruments to young people who they worked with in Patagonia.

The charity has had support throughout the UK since it started in April 2016. including from the Pencerdd music store in Station Approach.

Penarth Library has also supported the project by carrying leaflets.

They team are currently in the process of organising transport for the instruments that have already been donated.

The first donated instrument to take the journey from Wales to the Chubut region of Patagonia is ready to leave, and was donated by Sheila Hobbs from Penarth.

The violin will be taken to Trevelin, a town near in Chubut near the Andes, in time for the town's birthday celebrations.

The celebrations will be attended by the British ambassador to Argentina, the head of the British Council for Argentina, and the culture minister.

The instrument first found fame as part of the Red Violin festival in Cardiff Bay in 2007. It became the property of Ms Hobbs when she won it in a raffle at the end of the festival.

Having played it since then, she has now donated it to start a new phase in its life with the project.

It is seen not only as a symbol of Wales, but also the continuing and developing bond between the Welsh and Patagonia.

To follow the Red Violin's journey, follow Patagonia Instrument Project on twitter, facebook or Linkedin.