We'll keep a welcome in the hillsides ... of Preston

Traditional cakes like Bara Brith and Teisen Lap came out of the oven in a baking competition to honour the patron saint of Wales.

The city’s Welsh Club brought a taste of the valleys to the Harris Library, with a selection of national cheeses, beers, oatcakes and laver bread on show to visitors from around the county.

“It was a great success,” said Anne Spooner, chair of the club, who turned out in full national dress for a day of festivities yesterday.

“Lots of people came in to see us and they all seemed very interested. Some made a special journey to Preston to visit our exhibition.

“And it was all thanks to the Lancashire library service without whose support we wouldn’t have had a venue.”

Entrants in the baking competition made traditional Welsh tea breads. Members of the club later went on to a meal at the Boar’s Head in Hoghton, 
followed by a night of Welsh country dance in the village hall across the road.

“The Welsh community in the Preston area is quite strong. We have well over 50 people on our mailing list.

“St David’s Day is marked all over the world – about 20 people even enjoyed the day in China with some Welsh food bought from their Marks & Spencer store out there.

“It’s all down to a lady called Bobby Freeman who came from Bury but settled in Wales and realised there was a market for promoting Welsh foods and recipes. She was the inspiration.

“She wrote cookery books and appeared on radio and TV and really got people interested in our traditional cuisine.”