The Friends of St Mary’s
Become a Friend.
The Friends of St Mary’s, Brecon was set up in 2023 to support the church’s vital work in the community and to help preserve its architectural heritage as an iconic building at the centre of Brecon.
St Mary’s is a beautiful and historic place of worship which has served the people of Brecon for over 800 years. But, to continue this mission, we need your help. You can make a difference by:
becoming a Friend of St Mary’s – at an annual subscription of £25
making a one-off donation;
leaving a legacy in your will;
Your contribution, however small, will help us maintain our facilities, and provide an inclusive space for the community. Because of its location, it is important that the building remains relevant for everyone.
Charity No:1202893 Email: friendstmarys01@gmail.com
Ways to become a Friend.
There are several different ways that you can become a Friend of St Mary’s.
You can pick up forms at St Mary’s and return it with your subscription to the church.
You can also print out the form and return it with your subscription to St Mary’s.
Or you can donate via Paypal by clicking the button below.
Your £25 donation is all that is needed to become a Friend.
Whichever way you choose, you’ll know that your generosity will help St Mary’s continue to thrive for many years to come to develop even more as a vibrant community centre in the heart of Brecon.
the Friends of St Mary’s
Speaker Series
Tuesday 20th May, 7pm
Carl Phelpstead: J. R. R. Tolkien, Wales, and the Welsh Marches:
At Home on the Border
J. R. R. Tolkien, the most popular author of the twentieth-century, once wrote: ‘I love Wales … and especially the Welsh language’. This talk explores what is known about Tolkien’s visits to Wales, his knowledge of Welsh language and literature, and the influence his love of the country and its language had on his work as a professor and the fiction for which he is now much better known.
Tickets: £10 on the door.
Future talks in 2025
Tuesday 17th June, 7pm
Nick Busby: The Origin of Everything
Nick Busby is the chairman of both the Usk and Abergavenny Astronomical Societies and a member of BBNP’s Dark Sky Board.
This talk unravels the latest scientific evidence to explain where and how all the things we see today were formed since the start of the Universe.
Tuesday, 15th July, 7pm
Susan Fogarty ‘Look, Look, Look…’
“Look, look, look at the detail” was the mantra of the London artist and teacher Miss Eldridge in 1937, who drove an open topped Bentley to the girl’s school in north Wales!
Susan will talk to us about this wonderful artist M E Eldridge who exhibited in London galleries before the second world war before she turned to illustrating children’s books. In the 50’s she created her Masterwork The Dance of Life over 100 feet in length! In the 60s through to her death in 1991, she turned herself to the fine detail of botanical and ornithological paintings.
Eldridge was the wife of R. S. Thomas whose poems are the theme for the 2025 Brecon Choir Festival. He became famous, whilst “She explored / all of the spectrum / in a fly’s wing...” 1 Come and listen to the story of this extraordinarily adaptable female artist “… who in life / had done everything / with a bird’s grace ...” 1
1 extracts from the poetry of RS Thomas.
Susan is the founder and director of the RS Thomas & ME Eldridge Society www.rsthomaspoetry.co.uk
There will be an exhibition of Eldridge’s works at Found Gallery in July. (www.meeldridge.com)
The Music of the Coronation; The Welsh Connection
The launch event for The Friends occurred on Friday April 12th, 2024.
Brecon resident Professor Grahame Davies, CVO gave us a wonderful insight as to how he came to be the person who oversaw all the music for the Coronation and for the later Honours of Scotland ceremony for King Charles. Grahame helped shape the musical event of a lifetime which featured starring roles for Welsh performers and composers, for the newly-commissioned Cross of Wales and - for the first time ever at a Coronation – the use of the Welsh language.
Erin Thomas, winner of Brecon Choir Festival’s Young Singer Award of 2023 and Louise Wood, a Welsh mezzo-soprano currently studying at Royal Northern College of Music sang two of the pieces for which Grahame wrote the lyrics. Erin sang for the the King and Queen when they visited Brecon in 2023.
Everybody needs friends. People who help us through life. People stick with us through thick and thin. St Mary’s Brecon is no different. The church building has stood in the heart of Brecon, serving the people of Brecon, for the better part of 800 years. But it has only done so through the love, dedication, and support of friends—people from all walks of life who have shown their appreciation for what the place has done for them by giving back.
Keeping
St Mary’s
Alive
St Mary’s is on the move. The beloved Tower Café is thriving. The congregation is rapidly growing. The building is again becoming a venue for regular concerts and other events. And it’s a special place for many young families as a place where they can relax while their children play in a warm, friendly, and safe place. It’s also where others can find company and friendship.
But we need your support to make sure this continues.