VIDEO: Grannies Revive Local Jazz Band To Celebrate Platinum Jubilee!
We've had a peek behind-the-scenes of preparations in Briton Ferry.
Last updated 17th Feb 2022
The whole village is involved, with Mark Adams who was a professional singer for 30 years among the organisers. He's back home after many years away and loves the community spirit of the area. Locals are busy preparing for Ferry Fest and bringing back a few old favourites. The Pram Parade was well loved in its day and this year they're expecting between 40 to 50 entries. People can use anything from beds, prams, trolleys to building their own platform on wheels. One year a woman built a wrestling ring on wheels and pushed it through the town.
Pram Parade
Mark has also had his heart set on reviving something that he loved as a youngster - The Briton Ferry Jazz Page Boys. They are now back together again - they last played back in the 80s.
Mark told us: "We had 30 turn up to the rehearsal, the first one we had no instruments so used a baby bath as a base drum and spoons and forks on tables for drums and a sweeping brush came in handy too. We put a shout out for real instruments and got some last week from Swansea. Jazz band, SSR. They've lent us some.
"It's just amazing to see the girls doing their thing again. Most are grandparents now and the fact their grandkids can see them in the jazz band is great. They all want hairnets to go back to the Golden Days. Back then the Briton Ferry Page Boys were probably the most important thing in the area. As a child grown up, I would go everywhere on a Saturday to watch them."
Ferry Fest will take place on the 3rd of June with the jazz band and pram parade travelling through the village stopping off in local pubs and bars. Organisers feel it's important to take the party to hospitality too as they have had such a tough few years with restrictions.
Mark also thinks it's important for the younger generations of Briton Ferry to be reminded of what community spirit feels like saying: "A lot of teenagers don't know what it's like when a community are close and I think Covid has opened the door for that. With mental health being a big thing at the moment, I've seen a difference in the girls in the jazz band. You won't believe they sit there, the stories that are coming out from when they were away as teenagers."
The band are still in need of a few more instruments, Mark is urging anyone who can lend them some items to get in touch: "We need a few more drums because we've had a lot more response off girls that are coming back. Any jazz bands out there that have got some drums hanging around in storage? We can wipe the cobwebs off and and put him to good use for one day."