THE MAYOR of Bangor welcomed members of the North Wales Jamaica Society and Friends of Jamaica group to a special Coffee Morning yesterday.

Cllr. Derek Hainge hosted the special get together at Bangor Town Hall as visitors found out more about the links being created between schools and projects in North Wales and in Jamaica.

Visitors were welcomed with Jamaican dishes such as Peanut Porridge and Coconut Banana Fritters.

Dr Marian Gwyn, an internationally recognised specialist in colonial links, gave a short presentation on the very special links that the Pennant family from Penrhyn Castle had with the community of Pennants in Jamaica.

The North Wales Jamaica Society are working with the Cllr. Hainge to explore ways to create links with Clarendon Municipal Corporation and their Mayor, Winston Maragh, as well as with local schools.

Bangor Rotary is also teaming up with the Rotary Club in Clarendon’s main town, May Pen, to work together to gain a Global Grant from Rotary International to refurbish the two schools in Pennants village.

Preparations are in hand to welcome the Jamaican High Commissioner to Bangor later in the year as part of the Race Council Cymru Black History 365 summer celebration.

This will provide a focus on links with Jamaica and the shared cultural links of poetry and music with special guest, Jamaican Poet and Reggae Artiste, Yasus Afari making his annual visit to Wales.

Liz Millman, a Bangor Rotary member who has been busy creating links between Anglesey and Australia this year, said: "The Welsh connection in Jamaica is still very evident in the surnames of many Williams, Morris and Jones’s, as well as place names, like Denbigh, where the massive Jamaica Agricultural Show is held every August.

"There is also the celebration of Eisteddfod across the island, nowadays this is called “Festival” but it is based on the originals on Eisteddfod Movement introduces in the late 1800's."