ST DAVID'S DAY: St David's Day was celebrated in style with a concert at St Julian's Infants School.

Children from the nursery, through reception to Years 1 and 2 performed a series of Welsh songs, poems and dances in vibrant Welsh colours.

Accompanying the children was a harp played in style by Lorraine Lutman.

At the end of the concert the retiring head teacher, Lesley Illott, was presented with a Welsh love spoon to mark the occasion.

MAYOR'S CHARITY CONCERT: Another St David's Day concert, on a rather grander scale, was held at the Newport Centre in support of the Mayor's Charities - the St Woolos Cathedral Rescue Appeal and Growing Space, the mental health charity.

The packed audience was enthralled by a variety of musical presentations compered in her own inimitable style by Beverley Humphreys, the famous Welsh Opera soprano and BBC presenter.

Four male choirs combined magnificently under their respective conductors and accompanists. Such was the quality that it was hard to believe that the City of Newport, Cwmbran and Pontnewydd Male Choirs and the Garndiffaith Gleemen rehearsed the wide selection of songs separately and only had one joint rehearsal.

The repertoire included Welsh hymns and stirring marches, culminating in the ever-popular Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Equally appreciated, not least by the massed male choirs, were the youngsters of the choir of St John's on the Hill, Chepstow, who delighted with songs including those of John Rutter and Simon and Garfunkle.

The two soloists were the ebullient Beverley Humphreys and Newport's very own up-and-coming soprano, the delightful former Duffryn pupil, Holly Holyoake.

It was a splendid evening thoroughly enjoyed by an appreciative audience which helped boost the mayor's charities.