It is always a pleasure to report any significant moments in the lifetime of one of our most noted choristers and it is with delight to report the 80th birthday on Saturday October 4th of long standing, baritone chorister Mervyn Roberts.
Mervyn first joined the choir, after re-locating from Neath in 1962 to work as a heater in the soaking pits at the new steel works an Llanwern in about 1964 but unfortunately had to give this up after a few short months due to work and family commitments. Interestingly, Mervyn is proud to be one of the few to be introduced to the Queen during the ceremonies taking place as she opened the brand new works. Among Mervyn’s many achievements in Llanwern was the early introduction of training schemes and later the introduction of computerised systems in the soaking pits area.
He rejoined the choir in 1988 and has been a stalwart ever since. Acting as choir treasurer he was a key player in the successful acquisition of funds to enable the Choir hall to be built in 1996. Always present on tours and attending many, many concerts since then, Mervyn with his welcoming smile, kind words of encouragement to new members, his dry, witty sense of humour and commitment to the choir, he is the embodiment of a Welsh Male Voice Chorister.
Apart from his hobby as a horologist, watch and clock repairer, also uppermost in his commitments is his over 40 year membership of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (The Buffs) in Caldicot. On 2nd January this year he was awarded Honorary Membership in recognition of his services to the Order. The Choir was pleased last year to hold a concert in aid of the Order’s charity work by holding a concert to support Mervyn’s appeal to raise funds for The Macmillan Nurses charity.
Although his wife Cath, is in hospital at this time, recovering from an operation, we all in Caldicot Male Voice Choir wish Mervyn a very, very happy 80th birthday. Congratulations to an outstanding chorister.