Spotlight July 2025
A magical moment in time when so many connections happened in just under 48 hours .. twins galore, meeting up with cousins from afar, Surprising, joyful school reunions! Wellington Shropshire, birthdays and celebrations… global travellers ..people of faith and none… working together to save the planet! – ….. all in a day’s work at The Crosskeys…can you spot the connections?
Above. twins Tom and John Ellis - local teachers and Methodist preachers for over 60 years - with their wives Mair and Pat and their cousins Marion (Originally from Pentre Farm), who lives in Wellington and Ann Ellis originally from Glanrafon, who was celebrating her birthday and who went to school with the twins Mark and Ian( Below Right) Mark and Ian, retired after 40 years of working with the MoD, live now in Apley by Wellington, and were joining their Mum, Hazel, who celebrated her 92nd birthday last week with her 4 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. They were also catching up with a long-lost cousin – Liz Jones, who lives in Mexico but has travelled the world making ambient nature films. Len (Below centre) also celebrated his 84th birthday this week and, like Hazel, has lived all his life in Llanfyllin and, whilst years ago loved riding his motorbike everywhere, now is content to take care of his sister June’s garden and enjoy singing his favourite song – The Chapel of Love.
On the round table below we enjoyed the company of - Jane Jones who went to school with Tom and John in Cwm Nant Y Fyllon – and Tegwyn, Jeanette, Jean, Dorothy, and Rosemary - many of whom went to school with Marion – Dorothy who lived in Tan Y Bryn, being her neighbour for many, many years!
Jenny Castle (Front centre) - who has just completed a world cruise, is also celebrating 40 years of lay ministry with the Church in Wales. Amanda Dady was in to support the work of Y PANTRI – our Preventing Food Waste Initiative with her husband John. He is seen in the picture with Peter Beresford, a working musician, originally from Wellington, who, apart from having many friends in the area, also has friends who know Jules Holland and Bob Marley! (And the most famous man that ever lived… but that’s another story!!! 😊 ) It was also lovely to enjoy Lesie Sweet’s company – Chair of BRACE in…someone too who has settled in the area from London over 30 years, and also to enjoy the company of twins just starting on their journey of life - Josiah and Jonah with their sister Rose. Last but not least, Jodie Parkes Moreton of Wednesday’s Jodie’s Hair and Beauty – enjoying serving in The Cross Keys
So much going on but such a lovely snapshot of our community, I'm sure we can all join in with Hazel when she says loudly and proudly – I Love Llanfyllin !!!