THE sunshine brought hundreds of worshippers together at Pembroke Castle on Sunday, June 14 for the Picnic, Prayer and Praise event.

Pembroke Mayor Cllr Jonathan Grimes described it as “a fantastic afternoon of fellowship, community spirit and uplifting music, including a wonderful performance from London Central Church.”

Attendee also paid tribute to the talented children of the Sing! Youth Gospel Choir.

The mayor added: “It was a pleasure to meet and chat with so many attendees, as well as the dedicated volunteers who do so much for our community. My thanks go to those from Pembroke Street Pastors, Town Hall Messy Church, and the Angle Peninsula Churches for their time, commitment and support.

“Events like this are a great reminder of the strength of our community and the value of coming together to celebrate, connect and enjoy each other's company.”

The event was part of a busy weekend for Pembroke Castle, which successfully hosted the Voices in the Castle - another picnic-style event, held in aid of the Paul Sartori Foundation on the Saturday evening.

Featuring Russell Watson, the afternoon opened at 4pm with Pembrokeshire Pop Voices, followed by other local choirs, before the popular concert headliner sang into the night.

The Pembroke Mayor said: “A huge thank you to everyone who played a part in making tonight’s concert such a memorable occasion. From the dedicated castle staff and the wonderful team at the Paul Sartori Foundation, to the talented performers from Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir the Paul Sartori Community Choir, and the outstanding Bella Voce- your hard work and passion shone through every moment.

“A very special thank you must also go to the phenomenal Russell Watson for a truly breathtaking headline performance. It was a pleasure to spend a few minutes chatting with him before his final set, and it was heartening to hear how impressed he was not only by the stunning setting of Pembroke Castle, but by Pembroke itself and the warm welcome he received.

“Events like this remind us just how special our community is when people come together to create something extraordinary.

“Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the evening. We hope this is just the beginning, and we look forward to welcoming Russell back to Pembroke again in the future!”

The castle described ‘Voices in the Castle’ as “a truly spectacular night filled with exceptional choirs, a world renowned tenor and one of the best atmospheres we have experienced at the castle.”

Special thanks and recognition goes to all who made it happen, EPS, Magnum Sound, Bluesky Marquees, Merts Medical, Elite Security and Joshua Bennett. Also the Pembroke Castle and Paul Sartori Teams and all of the outstanding performers.

The two successful events followed disappointment on the Friday night when the Rock The Ramparts concert - also in aid of Paul Sartori - had to be cancelled because high winds were affecting the stage area and creating unsafe conditions.

“Gutted to cancel Rock the Ramparts but we have to keep everyone safe,” the Pembrokeshire-based hospice at home charity posted.

All tickets will be automatically refunded – no action is required.