AN EXHIBITION will be held at Trinity Methodist church as part of summer festival week.

It takes place from 10am to 4pm between Wednesday, July 8 and Sunday, July 12

The church's heritage group will be putting on their first such exhibition having compiled a digital archive of the church's life with help from a Heritage lottery fund grant.

The church had a thriving amateur dramatics society led by John and Sheila Gibbs after the second world war.

They performed a wide range of plays, both secular and religious including 'Toad of Toad Hall' and 'The Comedian'.

Photographs, programmes and press reviews from the Penarth Times will also be on display.

Many Penarthians belonged to Trinity Youth Club, and the exhibition will include photographs and other material recalling many highlights of its activities.

During its heyday in the 1960s the Youth Club had over 100 members and a waiting list.

Even today many will remember leaders such as Bert Scriven and Philip Newman with affection. An annual highlight was the MAYC (Methodist Association of Youth Clubs) Weekend in London.

On three occasions Trinity Youth Club had the privilege of performing in the dramatic production which was the highlight of the Saturday evening in the Royal Albert Hall.

The Youth Club also took part in plays in Trinity culminating in the much acclaimed “1066 And All That” in 1968.

Trinity has had a long tradition of incorporating music into the life of the church either as an integral part of the worship or in the variety of activities that took place in the ancillary buildings.

It has been well served by its choir as far back as the days of the ‘Tin Church’ in the 1890s. Today the “Trinity Singers” continue to take an active part in the weekly services.

The 2,200 pipe organ, one of the finest in Wales, was installed by Norman and Beard in 1908.

It has undergone several refurbishments, the latest being in 1995, but tonally it remains virtually as it was in 1919. It is used on a regular basis for weekly and special services, organ recitals and accompanying concerts.

Former members of the youth club and other church groups are invited to attend a reception at 6pm on Friday, July 10.

Contact heritage@trinitypenarth.org.uk for further details or visit the website www.trinitypenarth.org.uk.