An Aberdyfi event has been praised in the Houses of Parliament for its social, economic, and community impact.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP, Liz Saville Roberts made an Early Day Motion on Monday, 13 April, asking “that this House congratulates the organisers, volunteers, and participants of the inaugural Dafad Goch Soap Box Racing Aberdyfi 2026 event held on Sunday, 5 April”.

The motion “notes that the event attracted approximately 8,000 visitors, making it the largest event hosted in Aberdyfi since the visit of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1982; recognises the significant digital engagement achieved in the 90 days leading up to the event, with over 680,000 online views, including more than 114,000 on race day itself; acknowledges the positive social and economic impact of the event, including the substantial boost to local hospitality, retail, and accommodation businesses; commends the festival-style atmosphere created, which brought together residents, visitors, local businesses, and volunteers; praises the strong focus on fundraising, with proceeds supporting The Firefighters Charity, Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team, and the Teenage Cancer Trust, reflecting the generosity and civic spirit of the community; welcomes the safe and effective delivery of the event, with only four minor medical incidents recorded and no serious injuries; highlights the exemplary partnership working between organisers, emergency services, volunteers, and local stakeholders; and further recognises that Dafad Goch Soap Box Racing has successfully placed Aberdyfi on the map as a location capable of hosting large-scale, high-quality community-led events with wide-reaching engagement.”

Event organisers Louis Hiatt and Lee Bishop were delighted to hear about the mention. Sharing it on their Dafad Goch Soap Box Derby Facebook page, they said on Tuesday: “We would like to thank Liz Saville Roberts – Dwyfor Meirionnydd for tabling the motion to the house yesterday in congratulating us on our soap box derby.”