St. Mary's Roman Catholic church, Ewenny Road, Bridgend was bursting at the seams last night as it played host to Bridgend Male Voice Choir
I squeezed in the back with my sister-in-law just in time for the opening number, well, 'deal or no deal' was on the television and the contestant was just agonizing over whether he had made a good deal on £25 thousand pounds. What is wrong with these people...it was £25 thousand pounds for goodness sake they seem to lose all sense of reality when faced by (lovely crisp ironed shirted) Noel Edmonds. There was no way I was going to put a foot out of the door before he made his decision, compulsive viewing.
Luckily I made it just in time mainly because the church is a couple of door down from me.... I can remember the choir when it was based in Police Headquarters, they used to have their rehearsals there and if you were in the bar at the time you were allowed to go in and watch. As the choir filed into the church I was amazed at how the numbers have expanded. Some of the same faces were there looking a little older but still recognizable. One of their members had recently died so their programme was altered a little in tribute to him. They sang a favourite of his with gusto, if he was watching he would have had a smile on his face.
Their guests for the evening were the Cor Merched Cwm Llynfi Ladies Choir the girls gave a wonderful rendition of 'All that jazz'. Their Musical Director was Mr. Paul Deenik-Bradley, I studied him carefully as he took to the podium, then I realised who he was, I can remember him as a young pupil of Bynteg Comprehensive School walking to school past my house every moning, honestly where does the time go?