Rydal Penrhos once again lent its support to some 100th birthday celebrations at a Colwyn Bay care home.

Pupils and staff at Rydal Penrhos made a short trip to a Colwyn Bay care home to assist in some extremely special birthday celebrations once again.

The school paid a visit to the Abbeyfield Residential and Retirement Home on Alexandra Road in Colwyn Bay to surprise Mrs Megan Pari Jones with plenty of presents and a musical performance as part of her socially distanced 100th birthday party on Friday 5 March.

Mrs Pari Jones hails from Menai on Anglesey and moved to Alexandra Road with her husband Jack in November 2004.

The former schoolteacher sadly lost her partner in 2013, who was also a resident at Abbeyfield, and a special effort was made by Rydal Penrhos to ensure that she had a day to remember.

This included Year 1 and 2 pupils creating some colourful birthday cards that were presented to Mrs Pari Jones on the day, with Prep School head girl Amelie Skinner and sister Megan – who is in Year 7 – holding up a happy birthday banner outside the facility in Welsh, which was made by keyworker children during the second educational lockdown.

Year 2 pupil Jacob Skinner then presented Mrs Pari Jones with 100 tulips to make the occasion, before Sixth Former and decorated vocalist Tegid Goodman-Jones performed a mini outdoor concert that began with her favourite Welsh song – Calon Lan.

Tegid, who is currently in Year 13, said: “I did not sing the hymn version that everyone is familiar with, I sang an arrangement by a Patagonian folk singer.

“I picked up this arrangement after hearing him sing it in a concert in Rhyl. I added my own twist on the arrangement, altering the melody and chords.

“The second piece I sang was called ‘Can yr arad goch’. This is a Welsh piece written by Idris Lewis, a great welsh composer.

“I chose to sing this song because it was written when Megan was one-year-old and it was popular in Wales for most of her life.

“It is about the farming life of a typical Welshman, hence why it is so special.

“The third and final piece I sang was ‘Dy garu o bell’. This is a beautiful song from a Welsh musical by famous Welsh composer Robert Arwyn.

“The literal translation of the main-line in the song is ‘I loved you from afar’ and it’s a piece symbolising hope and love.”

Also in attendance was Prep School head Lucy Davies, Marketing and Admissions co-ordinator Debbie McCluskey, Senior School secretary Hannah Skinner – mother of Amelie, Megan and Jacob – in addition to school governor Anne Watson and Guy Watson, President of the Rydal Penrhos Society alumni group.

Rydal Penrhos and staff at Abbeyfield ensured that every COVID-19 precaution was taken to ensure that Mrs Pari Jones had the celebration she deserved whilst ensuring the safety of those who participated in the celebrations.

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