Villagers club together to say farewell to much-loved local

Ken Congram, 79, was a quiet, old-school gentleman from Kinnerley who made friends with people of all ages, and had many stories to tell to those who took time to listen.

"Ken went downhill rapidly and it was such a shock to everyone when he died on April 30," said friend Simon Hewitt.

"He never married, his parents had passed away long ago and he died intestate."

But he was so liked and respected in the Llanymynech area that the prospect of him getting a pauper's funeral with no mourners horrified villagers.

They raised over £1,000 to pay for a funeral and give him a proper send off at Emstrey Crematorium, in Shrewsbury, on May 28. There was also a gathering in his honour at the Dolphin Inn, Llanymynech.

Now Simon and other villagers are eager to mark Ken's life and help raise money for Severn Hospice who looked after him before he died.

Simon, a manager and promoter, has pulled strings with his friends in the music industry to organise two nights at Llanymynech Village Hall.

"The hall's capacity is 200 but I would be happy with 100," said Simon. "That would mean we would cover our costs and raise money from the bar and raffles for the hospice on the night."

The first will be Electro Village with Electronica, a night of synthpop classics with special guests Future Perfect, on Saturday, September 4.

Simon is promising to transport people back to the 80s for one night with the hits of Human League, Ultravox, Simple Minds, Kraftwerk.

The second music event will be held on October 2, what would have been Ken's 80th birthday. It's set to Rock the Village with classic rock anthems.

Tickets are available from the Llanymynech village shop, the Rowanthorn, in Oswestry, the Cross Guns pub in Pant and the Bradford Arms at Knockin.

Or they can be brought online for £10 in advance at https://www.chimeraevents.co.uk/future-events