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Alex Frith MBE

Alex Frith was born in Barry south Wales, After many years living in London, a major event in 1980 involving the Iranian Embassy Siege, which was just around the corner from her children's school, made Alex realise that London at that time was not the place to bring up her children, Samantha and Alexandra. After a talk with her husband Dennis they decided to move "home" to Wales. As they were already renting a property in Rotherslade, near Mumbles they chose to move to Swansea permanently. London's loss was certainly Swansea's gain. Alex always had the creative ability to tell beautiful children's stories to her children which she could make up on the spot. She would tell stories of little characters from the beach at Mumbles who would leave their little hats washed up with the tide (limpets) she would enthrall her children with these fantastic tales - and the Bumbles of Mumbles was born. Looking for something to do when she arrived in Swansea she turned up at The South Wales Evening Post building armed with a hand written story of "The Bumbles Of Mumbles", which she gave to an editor at the paper, a short time later she was asked to write a page for children including a new story every week. Alex thrived on this and her creative rivers started to flow. In 1986 she proposed an idea to the paper to produce her stories into a one night show at The Grand Theatre. This first night  was a great success and the manager of The Grand at the time, Paul Dayson asked her to stage a couple more nights, which were again very fruitfull. This show is now in its 22nd year and each is a brand new story every time, written exclusively by Alex, and has had an accumulated cast of hundreds of children, all auditioned by her. (Joanna Page from Gavin and Stacey appeared in one of the shows).

She is very much against young talent shows and feels that the competitive nature of them can be detrimental to the enjoyment children get from performing. In 1992 she had the idea to put on a show for the older children, a talent show, but with no winner, just a celebration of the talent to come out of the area. Entitled "The Best Is Yet To Come" this show is now put on at Swansea Grand Theatre for one night 3 times a year!. All, and I mean all, of the proceeds go to charity. To date she has raised over £250,000 for various charities. Her enthusiasm over 20 years later is as strong now as it has ever been. She is one truly amazing lady who seems to have every minute of her day  mapped out, to focus on her shows. She was tremendously honoured to receive the M.B.E in 2008, and so unfazed by it all,  for the first few months kept saying she had an MFI. 

In I999 Alex had an idea to take "The Best Is Yet To Come" to London. She hired Her Majesty's Theatre, and took three coach loads to the theatre. It was so successful that the management of the theatre invited her back the next year, which she did. Again to great success. She however could not chance a visit the following year due to the 9/11 atrocities in New York.

Alex Frith M.B.E was a pleasure to interview and someone who I feel is one of a kind, with an unselfish giving nature which is refreshing . Long may her shows continue.