Former school friends reunite

MORE than 100 ex-pupils from the class of 1984 at Maesteg Comprehensive School are set to be reunited this Saturday for the first time in more than 30 years.

Ex-pupil Gary Evans, 48, decided to organise the reunion through Facebook after his mother died last December and after hearing about former classmates passing away.

Now living in Dawlish, Devon, Gary has booked a table for 50 people at Wetherspoons in Maesteg, but he thinks 150 people could potentially turn up

Gary said: “It’s going to be an extremely emotional night. This reunion is to bring people together after all these years and catch up on what we got up to back in school.”

People from across the country including Newport, Swansea, Leeds and Isle of Man are travelling to the Sawyers Arms in Maesteg for the reunion on Saturday.

Gary said: “We came from poor backgrounds but in school and out of school we had fun and adventure.

“At 48, I realise that life is really short and my happiest days were when I was a teenager.”

A custom banner and balloons have been made for the night, but plans for a cake had to be abandoned after Gary realised how many people were going to show up.

Plans for another reunion, including a live ’80s tribute band, are already being set for next year when many of the class will turn 50.

Gary left Wales in 1989 and now runs a long-distance taxi business and is also a scriptwriter.