Tributes have poured in for former Powys County Councillor Ivy Lewis, who passed away last month.

Mrs Lewis, who represented the people of Talgarth on Powys County Council from the early 1980s until 2004, passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 26.

Her funeral service was held on Saturday, October 8, prompting many of her political colleagues to pay tribute to their distinguished colleague and friend.

Cllr William Powell, Powys County Council member for Talgarth, said: “Ivy was a true community champion, and, as the one who picked up the baton from her, I found her to be kind, warm and caring, as I recall also from my school days.

“She was a source of encouragement and wise counsel, comments which have been echoed by my colleague, Cllr Jackie Charlton, who recently recalled her support and advice to her as a member of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.”

“Ivy’s passion for progressive politics, for debate, and her genuine concern for people were amongst her greatest qualities, and, although a doughty fighter for what she believed in, it was free of the rancour and division that all too often scars public life in our times.

“Apart from the early months of her married life, with her beloved late husband Ted, spent in his native Bromley, Kent, Ivy lived the rest of her life in Talgarth, the community she cared about most.”

“Ivy was a passionate champion of Gwernyfed High School and of primary education in Talgarth, where I seek to live up to her example but she also worked hard for the health sector. Indeed, her last successful campaign, in the late 1990s, was alongside the then Mayor of Talgarth, Tony James, and his wife Doris, in fighting to secure a new site for the Haygarth surgery in Talgarth.

“All in all, Ivy was an effective councillor, a wise counsellor but most of all, a true friend.”

It is said that Mrs Lewis’ funeral, held at St Gwendoline’s Church in Talgarth, drew one of the largest congregations in recent times.

No doubt this was due to her longevity and tremendous devotion to politics as well as the people of her beloved Talgarth.

Notably, it was her service to her dearest Talgarth that saw her described as a champion for the town, in a touching tribute from the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, Matthew Dorrance.

“Ivy was always a sound and honest source of advice and guidance to me and many in the Labour movement.

“She was warm, kind and always able to articulate a sensible, progressive and programmatic response to an issue.

“I personally recall her kindness to me in the 2015 general election and she allowed me to use her home during our Talgarth campaign sessions.

“She was very proud to have served her community and rightly so.

“She was a champion for Talgarth and loved the people there dearly. “Serving as Mayor of Brecknock Borough was an important milestone for Ivy and for Talgarth. Her Mayoral portrait give you a real sense of the person she was. Dignified, kind, thoughtful and ready to serve,” said Cllr Dorrance.

While the funeral service was attended in masses by her family and friends from Talgarth and its surrounding areas - it also featured the attendance of an arrat of political representatives.

Namely, Chair of Powys County Council, Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe, Powys County Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Matthew Dorrance, The Mayor of Brecon, Cllr David Meredith, her successor as County Councillor for Talgarth, former Senedd Member, William Powell and the ‘Father’ of Talgarth Town Council, former Mayor Cllr Malcolm Dodds.

The ceremony also featured a eulogy from her eldest son, Stephen Lewis, and a special poem, written and delivered by her granddaughter Lydia Thomas, which paid warm tribute to her grandmother.

The Leader of Powys County Council, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, also paid tribute to Mrs Lewis: “This is very sad news indeed.

“Ivy was a much-respected and much-loved councillor on both Brecknock Borough and Powys County Councils.

“She was a doughty champion for her community.

“I personally have very fond memories of her and the support and kindness she showed towards me during our time together on Powys County Council.”

Measure of a Life - by Lydia Thomas

How do you measure a life time is a question that I’ve pondered and when I’ve come to think of it, my mind began to wander.

Do you measure it in the big things that happen in a life - the births, deaths, marriages and anniversaries, that all constitute a life?

Or perhaps it’s high days, holidays or wearing the mayor’s chains that make for life’s great gains?

Or maybe it’s the little things from where a life time springs - a coffee shared with friends or a kitchen full of family, all eating Sunday roasts - that’s what really means the most. But could it be as easy as a book or a newspaper or merely voting yes to Labour?

Or is it as straightforward as a trip out in the car, a browse round Marks and Spencer that makes for life’s great adventure, or is it as simple as when the day is ending and feet are up, with a great big chocolate bar?

And that is how you measure a life time, a life that was well spent, so thank you Nanny Ivy you have been a wonderful nan, mother, wife and friend.