An honorary life president of Brecon Bowling Club has celebrated his 100th birthday with a special event at the club.

Samuel (Sam) Sloan turned 100 on Friday, September 6.

Family from Wales, South Africa, Australia, Ireland and other parts of the UK all joined with Sam and his friends at the club last week for a party.

Brecon Mayor, Cllr John Powell was also in attendance and gave a speech.

Sam, who lives in Llanfaes, received a special bottle of Penderyn whiskey and a card from King Charles.

In lieu of gifts, Sam received money which has been donated to Brecon Dial-a-Ride - a total of £800.

Sam was born in Moneymore, Northern Ireland on September 6 1924, the youngest of seven children on a rural farm.

Leaving school, he started working as a railway clerk in 1941. After the war he responded to an advert in the newspaper for what was then Rhodesia Railways, looking for staff. Having been successful in his application, he travelled to Southampton to board the Capetown Castle boat in February 1948. After 12 days traveling he reached Cape Town and then travelled on to Rhodesia to Harare.

Sam had a wonderful career in various roles in the railways, rising up to management and over the next 48 years lived and worked in locations such as Rhodesia, Mozambique, Zambia, and Botswana, before eventually retiring and moving to South Africa in 1984.

During this time he met the lovely Sheila Smith, who sadly had lost her first husband, and had four young children - Joan, Malcolm, Vera-Anne and Robert.  

Sam and Sheila married in Gwelo, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) in 1956.

Sam has always been extremely social and affable and was known particularly for his playing of the bagpipes.

It was during his time in Mozambique that Sam joined the newly-formed bowling club at Beira with Sheila - thus starting his lifelong passion for bowls.

After moving to Brecon in 1994, Sam joined the Brecon Bowling Club in March 1995.

He has been an extremely active member ever since, both playing and sitting on the committee. He has held the roles of President on three occasions, as well Captain of the men’s team and Chairman. He won the Ken Rowlands Cup in 2002 and was a member of the winning Rinks team in 2012. Sam was made an Honorary Life President in 2016 and is currently President of the club once again.

As well as their life in bowls, Sam and Sheila became members of the Brecon District Stroke Club. Sheila sadly had a stroke and died in March 1997.

Sam took on the role of Treasurer of the Stroke Club and then secretary - a post he held for 16 years.

Sam and Sheila also joined the Penguin Swimming Club for the Disabled around the same time and he again became an active member on the committee.

Sam is an avid reader and loves sport. He is highly knowledgeable about rugby and follows Welsh, Irish and South African teams with equal enthusiasm. He is still very active, playing friendly games at the bowling club over the summer season.

Sam’s niece, Ann, said: “Sam has a wonderful positive outlook on life and has incredible sociability - everyone loves him!

“He has sense of commitment to whatever community he has lived in - be it in Ireland, Zimbabwe, South Africa or now in Wales.

“He is still extremely sharp mentally and can hold his own with anyone in conversation about many varied topics.  

“Sam has a great sense of humour and can remember jokes better than any of us!  

“He is a pleasure to be around and we were all delighted to be part of the great birthday celebrations.”