THE Crediton Conversation Café celebrated A Day of Wellness at the Congregational Church - supported by Devon Community Fund, for the culmination of a year’s project to promote health and wellbeing, on November 15.

Organiser Jennifer Ford, said: “Activities kicked off at midday with African Drumming with James Carr.

“Over 30 people drummed a beat, young and old and this was followed by delicious food, an exhibition of activities undertaken over the last year including art classes, Macramé, pottery, mask making to name but a few.

“There was a magic show and face painting for children.

“More drumming followed later with Tamsin Ward of Drumming4health, a real stress buster!

“The day was rounded off with a fully packed church and a concert with James Cookson on piano and beautiful singing by our Ukrainian friends.”

The singing was by a new singing group, With Love From Ukraine, who gave their debut performance to an enraptured audience.

James explained: “Growing out of the Conversation Café, the group started singing together only three months ago but sang with real confidence and passion.

“They began with the Ukrainian National Anthem, for which all present stood to show their respect, regardless of nationality.

“They then shared some charming traditional Ukrainian folk songs, often romantic or comic, mixed with more modern Ukrainian popular tunes. Images and a description of each song was on the large screen to enlighten the audience.

“There was a surprise in store at the end with a poignant rendition of the Beatles classic ‘Yesterday’.

“First sung in Ukrainian, the English lyrics were then displayed on the screen and the entire audience joined in, not without some emotion. “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away indeed, but sharing culture and welcoming at what might be described as at grassroots level, is a very human thing and something of which residents of Crediton should be proud.”