When Thomas Coaches Mid-Rhondda Band perform at the Third Section Welsh regional finals next weekend in Swansea, seven members of the successful Cory Band of the 1970s/1980s era will be reunited on a contest stage for the first time in more than 30 years.

National and Euro wins

Clayton McCann, Terry Lambert, brothers Graham Sheppard and Jeff Sheppard, Robin Davies, Greg Jones and Huw Watkins all featured in the famous National wins under Major Arthur Kenney, and all seven played in Cory’s first European title success in 1980 under the direction of Denzil Stephens.

Brilliant

Huw Watkins told 4BR: "It's brilliant for us to be playing in a band together after all this time fantastic to be part of the rebuilding process for Mid-Rhondda."

In the 1960’s and early 1970’s Mid-Rhondda were one of Cory's main contest rivals, and reached the National Finals themselves on four occasions, although the band stopped competing in 2008.

It's brilliant for us to be playing in a band together after all this time fantastic to be part of the rebuilding process for Mid-RhonddaHuw Watkins

Determination

However, thanks to the determination and hard work of MD Alan Gibbs and a core of dedicated players, the band started rehearsals again a year later, and in 2012 took to the contest stage once more.

Now, with a full line up of players they take to the stage at Swansea for the second successive year.

As Huw added: "Maybe there is a message there for other bands who think they have closed their bandroom doors for the last time — never give up hope!"