BBC newsreader Huw Edwards is campaigning to save London’s oldest Welsh-speaking church, which he describes as a “home away from home”.
The presenter and his children sing Welsh-language hymns at Jewin Presbyterian Church in Clerkenwell every Sunday. But the congregation has fallen sharply in recent years and it now has just a handful of worshippers.
Welsh language speaker Edwards said: “Welsh churches in London are facing a tough time. They represent something good, something which is worth fighting for.
“If this church was to close its doors it would be a dark moment indeed. Not just for Christian communities in London but for the traditions of the London Welsh.
“And for that reason lots of us think it’s worth making the effort to keep it going.”
The original chapel, next to the Barbican Centre, was built in 1774 and was the first of 30 Welsh places of worship in London.
It stood for more than 160 years before being destroyed in the Second World War during one of the worst nights of the Blitz.
Parishioners spent more than 20 years raising funds to reopen it.
Church secretary Llinos Morris said: “We’re an ageing congregation. It’s getting harder because we’re getting fewer people who are going to take on the burden.”
