The Port Talbot Soroptimists were delighted to host a successful Charity Coffee Morning recently at Aberavon Beach Hotel, bringing together members, friends, and supporters for a wonderful morning of conversation, cake, and community spirit.
Our special guest speaker was Andrea Edwards, Chair of the Richard Burton Centenary. Andrea gave a fascinating and heartfelt talk about the life, legacy, and local roots of Richard Burton, one of Wales’ most celebrated actors. Her passion for celebrating Burton’s remarkable contribution to stage and screen-and his enduring connection to our area-was truly inspiring.
World-renowned actor Richard Burton was born Richard Walter Jenkins in Pontrhydyfen, near Port Talbot, in 1925. The twelfth of thirteen children, he grew up in a close-knit Welsh mining community where his natural talent for language and performance first shone. Richard’s mother tragically passed away whilst he was only 2 years of age. Richard was taken in by his older sister Cecilia (Cis) and her husband Elfed, who lived in Taibach, Port Talbot.
Burton attended Port Talbot Secondary School, where his teacher and mentor, Philip Burton, recognised his remarkable gift for acting and helped nurture his abilities, even giving him the surname by which the world would come to know him. Despite achieving international fame on stage and screen, Burton remained deeply proud of his Welsh heritage and his Port Talbot upbringing. His voice, values, and storytelling were shaped by the people and landscape of the town that raised him
The coffee morning also provided many local stalls to sell an array of gifts and crafts. The morning raised valuable funds in support of our ongoing charitable projects, helping us continue to make a difference to women and girls locally and globally.
