The various civic heads in South West Wales often support each other at important ceremonies, including investitures, but the biggest gathering tends to be reserved for civic services.
Most chairs and Mayors appoint a chaplain, who then holds a religious service to celebrate their year in office. Other chairs and Mayors attend these services, complete with chain. It is worth noting by the way that it is courtesy to seek permission if a civic head wishes to wear his or her chain in another local authority area.
Due to the non-availability of the Lord Mayor, it fell on me to attend the first civic service in this sequence, this time in Carmarthenshire. The service took place today in the Siloam Welsh Independent Chapel in Pont-ar-gothi.
The chapel itself was built in 1824, rebuilt in 1848, and then renovated in 1902 and 1986. It is situated in the community of Llanegwad which is represented by the present Council Chair, Councillor Mansel Charles.
This is not an area I am familiar with. It is on the A40 on the road leading from Carmarthen to Llandeilo, set in beautiful countryside, though we took an even more picturesque route past the National Botanic Gardens to get there.
It was a beautiful service in the Independent tradition and included some fantastic solo singing from a variety of youngsters and one County Councillor. The hymn singing was full-throated and inspiring as one would expect in this part of Wales.
Most of the service was in Welsh, so I relied on my wife to translate some of the more memorable parts. It was good-humoured and the chapel was packed with well over hundred people, reflecting the closeness of this rural community.
Afterwards there was tea, sandwiches and cake in the Millennium Hall, where we had the opportunity to meet some of the other civic heads and to learn more about their civic services for future gatherings of the chain gang,
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