A “mischievous” 12-year-old boy with autism has teamed up with Twin Town actor Llyr Evans to star in a ground-breaking children’s TV series. Leon Fletcher, from Deiniolen, near Caernarfon, plays the part of apprentice handyman Harri Bach in the new laugh-a-minute S4C show, Help Llaw (Helping Hand), alongside Llyr as hapless handyman, Harri, who runs an odd-job company.
It was a major departure for Llyr, who hails from Ruthin and lives in Felinheli, and who previously had little experience of working with children, describing it as “humbling and rewarding”. The programme, which also stars Non Haf from Llandyrnog, near Denbigh, as team member Harriet, features youngsters from across Wales who have additional learning needs and disabilities and introduces the Makaton sign language.
Among the other youngsters with a starring role is five-year-old Nel Anwyl Roberts, from Llanuwchllyn, near Bala. The 26-part series is on S4C’s children’s platform, Cyw, at 7.45am on Mondays and Fridays. It’s been devised and made by pioneering television producer Nia Ceidiog, who comes originally from Wrexham and now lives in Cardiff. She’s the creative mind behind many children’s TV programmes including the BAFTA Cymru winning Dwylo’r Enfys.
Another series, Y Diwrnod Mawr, was five times nominated for prestigious worldwide awards, however, she remains probably best known for writing the original Welsh and English versions of the popular Sam Tan (Fireman Sam) children’s TV series which ran from 1987-94.
According to Nia, S4C were looking for a programme which featured a new hero figure and wanted to put youngsters with additional needs on screen. “We wanted to make children laugh while at the same time featuring those with additional needs and introduce the Makaton sign language.
“Harri is a handyman who is willing to solve any household problem from leaky taps and sinks to broken down washing machines while Harriet is the one who keeps the company on the road.
Llyr Evans as Harri Mawr
“We started with a scenario, a basic script and the Makaton words we wanted to feature in that episode but then went along with what the children themselves came up with. It was a challenge but Llyr was brilliant as Harri making the children laugh while at the same time performing with him,” said Nia.
She first met Leon, who also has a physical disability, and is a pupil at Ysgol Pendalar in Caernarfon, two years ago. Nia said: “I had met him at Ysgol Pendalar and doted on him. I wanted to have a child with additional needs as one of the main actors in the series to add to the power of visibility of disability. Despite his issues, Leon communicates well and is quite a character. He’s mischievous and is a child who has blossomed since he started attending Ysgol Pendalar after moving out of the mainstream,” she said.
Earlier in the year Leon spent nine weeks at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool where he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, an inflammatory bowel condition. But the experience of joining the cast of Help Llaw proved a real tonic for him.
Leon said: “I enjoyed making the programme. Llyr was very funny and was always trying to make me laugh while we were filming.” His dad Dan said Leon was a little bit anxious before the filming started but his nerves disappeared as soon as Llyr appeared. “He settled down very quickly to life before the cameras and we were able to leave him to it.
“He’d been spotted at Ysgol Pendalar while another programme was being made and we were asked if he would be able to take part in Help Llaw. We agreed because the teachers and staff at Ysgol Pendalar have worked wonders with Leon since he moved there from Ysgol Deiniolen. It was the best move for him and he’s never looked back. His confidence has soared and his speech has improved tremendously.”
Llyr Evans first rose to prominence in the cult 1997 film, Twin Town, in which he starred in a very different role with brother Rhys Ifans. Other film credits include Under Milk Wood and Ymadawiad Arthur and he’s also appeared on television in Casualty and Hinterland as well as a host of theatre productions.
Llyr Evans as Harri Mawr, Leon Fletcher, 12, as Harri Bach, and Non Haf as Harriet
But, he said, the opportunity to play Harri in Help Llaw had been a very special experience. “It was hard work and at times very challenging. Every day we’d be in a new place working with a different child who had very different needs and this was in addition to learning our lines and signing some of the words.
“For an actor used to learning lines and presenting them Help Llaw involved much more creative working and there was a great deal of improvisation. I’ve very little experience of working with children. I’m the coach of a football team and that’s about it. I started a four-year teaching course but bailed out after two months but my parents were both teachers so perhaps it’s in the genes,” he said modestly.
One of the children who features in the series is five-year old Nel Anwyl Roberts. She lives with her parents and four older brothers in Llanuwchllyn near Bala, Gwynedd. In her episode of Help Llaw, Harri is faced with the problem of fixing a washing machine. Nel and Harri discover the problem lies with no power reaching the machine because a wind turbine nearby is broken. So they set about building their own wind turbine to power the washing machine – with hilarious results.
Nel’s mum Eirian said: “Nel hasn’t developed as quickly as her brothers and her speech is very basic for a five-year-old. We are currently awaiting a diagnosis but we’ve worked hard to bring her on as much as possible and she is in a mainstream class at Ysgol O M Edwards where she shares a classroom assistant with another child.
“Her brothers show her a great deal of patience and play games with her, talking to her as if there was nothing wrong and including Nel in everything and getting her to do things around the house. I didn’t think she would respond like she did to Llyr in the episode of Help Llaw. He was brilliant with her and she responded in a way I didn’t think was possible. Nel can be quite stubborn and determined to do what she wants to do but with Llyr she just did what was asked of her and we’re all looking forward very much to see the episode on S4C.”
Help Llaw is being shown on S4C at 7.45am on Mondays and Fridays. It can also be viewed on S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and other streaming platforms.
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