Lord Mayor

AFTER enjoying Morriston Orpheus’ Young Welsh Singer of the Year competition a couple of weeks ago, it was wonderful to be able to attend another concert showcasing young musical talent yesterday. The John Fussell Trust Young Musicians Awards Concert at the Taliesin Theatre is an annual event, with the four finalists competing in Swansea for a first prize of £2,500 used to enable them to continue their studies in music.

There will be another concert on Saturday as I return to Morriston, this time to the Grade I listed Tabernacle for Morriston RFC Male Choir’s Together Again concert. The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns meant the members have not appeared in concert together since February 2020, and the choir have sadly lost some much-loved members to the virus over the past 18 months. The concert aims to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives to this terrible virus.

On Friday I will be joining the Lord Lieutenant for West Glamorgan, the council’s Armed Forces Champion and members of the Royal British Legion at the Guildhall and Swansea Market for the launch of this year’s poppy appeal. It is the 100th anniversary of the Royal British Legion and the appeal. The Legion have done so much over the past 100 years for armed forces personnel and their families, and continue to do so today. From the creation of a dedicated TB hospital and food parcels to families in the wake of World War I, to helping veterans get back into employment. They’re also supporting serving and ex-serving personnel with life-changing injuries following conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and helping families impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this special centenary year, I would encourage everyone to give what they can to the appeal, and wear their poppy with pride.