Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies paid a visit to Cefn Meiriadog last week to meet residents and to discover more about the school, church and village hall.
James has always been impressed by the community spirit in the village but was particularly inspired to hear of the success of the regular events, organised by volunteers, which take place in the village hall.
He also commended the fantastic village school and was pleased to meet the headteacher and head boy and girl.
He said:
“It was a pleasure to spend a few hours in Cefn last Friday meeting local residents, staff and pupils at the school, and those involved with St Mary’s Parish Church.
“I received a very warm welcome and thoroughly enjoyed finding out more about the village and listening to residents’ concerns.
“The friendliness and connection between villagers was uplifting to see. It was evident that events at the iconic St Mary’s Church, which has spectacular views over the Clwydian mountains, Vale of Clwyd and North Wales coast, and at the village hall, have really strengthened community ties and I am impressed by all the work that volunteers put into organising regular events to maintain that community cohesion.
“They will be hosting a Jubilee Service at 9.30am on June 5th at the church and also have other activities planned for the occasion, including a ‘Fun Afternoon’ and Hog Roast with Live Band and a ‘Night at the Races’ on the Saturday (June 4th) and a ‘Big Jubilee Lunch’ on the Sunday. The village hall really is thriving, with various activities taking place there regularly.
“I was also impressed by all the good work that is going on at the school. It may only be a small school, but it is certainly delivering for its pupils. It is well attended, although I was told that they would like to boost numbers in order to secure more teachers. The school caters for children between the ages of 3 and 11, as well as having an Early Years playgroup on the school site.
“Cefn is only a small village, but there is a lot going on. It was certainly a vibrant place to visit and I look forward to attending one of their forthcoming village hall events.”
Fay Adamson, Treasurer and Organist of St Mary’s Church, said:
“Cefn is a very small place and given the vast area that James represents, it was great that he was able to come and visit us and spend so much time finding out more about our wonderful village and the facilities we have on offer here.
“James got to meet many residents whilst here and was able to gain a greater understanding of the needs of the locality.
“I have lived in Cefn since 1975 and have been involved with the church since that time. We have had our problems over the years, but we have great plans for the future. We currently have one service per month, but will be hopefully increasing this to two, and also hope to do other things, such as Wild Church, which involves outdoor events such as bonfires with a religious theme. I am really hopeful that the church can grow going forward.”
Clare Vickers, Church Warden added:
“It was a pleasure to welcome James to Cefn and to take him on a visit of the church, school and village hall. Whilst here he spent a great deal of time talking to residents, volunteers and staff and pupils at the school to find out more about issues in the locality.”
New County Councillor for Trefnant, James Elson, also recently visited the village, attending Friday evening's Pop-Up-Bar at the Neuadd.
He said:
"I already knew many people at the event, but it was good to introduce myself to those I hadn't met before. It was a great evening of family fun and I look forward to attending more events in the village in the future."
