CHARITABLE CAUSES

Class of '78 Reunion 2022

Pictured above is Steve ( front row far right) with some of his old penlan school mates at Saturdays reunion.

On Saturday 11th June 2022 a school reunion was organised by myself for a gathering of old school friends who left Penlan Comprehensive School with me in the Summer of ’78.

The event was organised with a dual purpose in mind. Apart from revoking old memories and rekindling old school friendships, the opportunity was used to raise some much-needed funds for Matthew’s House homeless project which I have been involved in since its inception over five years ago and the Chemotherapy day centre unit at Singleton Hospital.

Unfortunately, like everyone else, my family and I have been recently affected with the loss of family and friends through cancer over the years. I lost my Father and Step-Father both through lung cancer. More recently, I lost one of our fantastic fitters Keith Bromham and a partner of another one of our superb fitters, Andrew Walters to the disease and my sister Dawn, who thankfully is now in remission, has recently fought her own battle.

After almost forty years in business, I am fortunate to now have thousands of customers, many of whom, have made a lasting impression on me but no one more than Jill Taylor of Llangyfelach who I first met as a customer 30 years ago and subsequently went on to become a personal friend along with her husband John. Jill was in every sense a true ambassador for my company, Swansea Home Improvements, and would promote the company and its products at every opportunity as does her husband John now.

The last job I did for Jill and John was only a few months ago. Sadly, this was just before Jill succumbed to the deadly disease. By the Chemotherapy Day Centre being one of the beneficiaries of the evening fundraising, it will be a small gesture in honouring the memory of all those past and present who are or have been affected.

Also benefitting will be Matthew’s House, a fantastic project based in St Matthews Church, High St, Swansea which helps the homeless and most vulnerable section of our Community. Every Tuesday on my one day off from running my business, I can be found volunteering; something I am proud to say I have done for over 5 years since the project began and something I am extremely passionate about.

I grew up in Pedrog Terrace, Mayhill, attended Gors Infants and Primary schools before moving to Penlan at 11 years of age where I spent the following five years at Penlan Comprehensive School and I made some wonderful lifelong friends in both areas of the city, many of whom turned up for the recent reunion.

Though I readily admit to being no academic, having left school at 16 with little qualifications, what I did learn throughout early life was far more important than any CSEs or A levels and that is to have respect for others and to work hard with grit and determination to succeed in life.

The reunion was a huge success and monies raised totalled £2300 from the sale of Polo shirts which I had custom made in the old school colours and badge with Penlan Logo ‘O Nerth y Nerth’ emblazoned onto the front. The balance of funds raised being from donations everyone made for their meal on a pay as you feel basis, which was prepared and served by some of the volunteers of Matt’s Café, from where the reunion started from 4:30pm on Sat 11th June 2022.

A great evening was had by all who attended.