The political life of the late Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen Labour councillor Ray Davies was celebrated by hundreds of people on July 4.
Cllr Davies passed away after a short fight with cancer on May 7, aged 85.
He served his community as a councillor for over 50 years and was active in campaigns at home and abroad, including justice for Palestinians and the anti-apartheid movement, in both South Africa and Israel.
Locally, he was instrumental in the opening of Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach and in campaigning against the ‘Bedroom Tax’, vowing to stop any evictions.
Friends, family, campaigners and ‘comrades’ gathered at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff to both celebrate Cllr Davies’ life and vow to take up the fight he left behind.
The event featured, films, songs and speakers, as well as stalls from the various campaigns he supported and worked with.
There were stalls representing Unite Against Fascism, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the National Union of Mineworkers.
Banners from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Rhymney Valley Anti-Apartheid were also on display.
Cor Cochion, Red Choir, who Cllr Davies sang with, sang in between speakers, with the sounds of Solidarity Forever echoing off the building’s marble walls.
Ray Davies’ widow, Wendy Lewis, said: “In his remarkable life he touched so many people, and crossed so many political boundaries. He never believed that any just cause was a lost cause.
“Speaker after speaker described how once Ray made a campaign his own, he would throw all his passion into winning it. The Poll Tax, the fight against Apartheid, Greenham Common.
“They paid tribute to his moral conviction and physical courage, in anecdotes about the MIners’ Strike, Palestine and the peace movement.
“At the end, an appeal was made for a cause close to Ray’s heart. Bedwas Workmen’s Hall, in his own community, is one of the last remaining miners’ halls built with the miners’ pennies. It is in desperate need of a lift to make it accessible to all.”
• Volunteers at Bedwas Workmen’s Hall are aiming to complete Ray Davies’ dream of making the building accessible to all by installing a lift.
They have raised over £9,000 for Red Ray’s Lift Appeal through profit from the bar over the last three years as well as around £600 at his memorial in May.
They are also looking to finish compiling a book of memories of the hall that Cllr Davies was working on before he died.
Booking Officer Caroline Hampson said: “Ray was very enthusiastic with everything to do with the hall, he was a very staunch supporter of it.
“He and Sarana Burris were working on a book to commemorate the centenary of the hall and we are asking people to submit their photographs and memories.
“With regard to the lift we have over £9,000 and we have a Just Giving page so we can really push that amount up because it’s going to cost about £80,000.”
To donate to Red Ray’s Lift Appeal visit www.justgiving.com/bedwasworkmenshall or cheques can be made payable to Bedwas Workmens Hall and sent to Bedwas Workmens Hall, Newport Road, Bedwas, Caerphilly CF83 8BJ.
To submit memories and photographs of Bedwas Workmen’s Hall email saranaburris@gmail.com.