A priest from north Wales has shared what it's like to use the power of music to engage with patients. Reverend Wynne Roberts BEM from Anglesey has been a hospital chaplain at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor for nearly 25 years.
For the last eight years, the priest has been performing as an Elvis Presley tribute artist after an unexpected performance in a Porthcawl festival took the town by storm. Since then, Wynne has combined both careers as a way to engage with audiences, patients with chronic conditions and people living with dementia.
His efforts have garnered attention far and wide, so much so, that he was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2019 by the Queen. Speaking to WalesOnline, the Reverend spoke fondly of the work that he had done as well as the people he had met over the years through his priesthood and performances.
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"As a full-time chaplain in Ysbyty Gwynedd, there are many aspects to my work," the Reverend explained. "I am responsible for the pastoral care of patients. So, that would include responding to calls from wards, I would go and have a chat with people, conduct communions or prayers, being there with the patient for their last rites.
"I could be there for when someone has received good news, when they need someone to hold their hands or other times when they have received bad news. More often than not, the latter includes being there for the family as well. I'm also there when women have experienced the loss of a baby - I can be there to bless or christen the baby, support the mothers, and some times be responsible for their baby's funereal.
"I feel such honour to be with people during various experiences in their lives. I'm there as a shoulder to cry on when they've received bad news, but on the other hand, I'm there to dance with them when they've received good news. And often, these people have chronic conditions - sometimes they are in the hospital for months or even years, and so I get to know them well and develop a friendship with them."
Wynne's passion for performing as the King of Rock and Roll came a little later however. While on a trip in Porthcawl eight years ago, Wynne and his friends decided to head to the annual Porthcawl Elvis Festival.
"I had never sang on my own up until then," Wynne said. "Of course, when I was in college we would all sing together in the pubs, or as a priest I used to sing in services and so on. But never on my own - only in the bath or in the car.
"I had always been a fan of Elvis, ever since I was a little boy. We went to a pub in Porthcawl during the festival, the place was packed and they had a karaoke. My friends told me to go for it - I could sing, I loved Elvis and I should give it a try.
"I went up on stage and sang 'You Gave Me a Mountain' and the whole place went ballistic - I couldn't believe it! Since then, that song has meant a lot to me for many reasons. My friend bought a plaque of the record for me following that performance and now it sits on the wall in my house.
"Another reason it's so special is that a couple of years ago, a young lady in her 40s was in Ysbyty Gwynedd. She wasn't well at all and every day she would ask me to come and visit her on the ward. She would choose a song that would summarise her day - songs like Yma O Hyd and so on, and then I would sing for her.
"One day, she asked me to choose a song and I sang her that Elvis song. When she sadly passed away, her family asked me if I could perform a song with a guitar at her funeral, and that song was none other than 'You Gave Me a Mountain'."
By now, both aspects of Wynne's life are now his full-time jobs. He has performed in countless performances all over Wales, including in Holyhead, Llandudno, Mold, Llanelli, Carmarthen and even on the top of Yr Wyddfa. He's performed with stars such as Dafydd Iwan and Rhys Meirion.
During one Porthcawl festival, Wynne said he got to perform on the roof of the town's Pavilion, which he described as the most memorable performance he ever did. From 2020-2021, he has also held the title of Porthcawl Gospel Champion.
But according to Wynne, the most important aspect of his career continues to be the ability to help others. Since 2017, Wynne has been helping patients living with dementia treasure their memories thanks to the power of music. The Reverend visits hospitals across north Wales, where he performs a number of Elvis classics, which often triggers fond and deep-set emotions in patients.
He said: "I will sing a lot with people living with dementia. A few years ago, Ysbyty Gwynedd opened Tŷ Ni [Our House], which is a room replicating a living room with a fire place, sofas, cups and saucers and the likes. They asked me one day if I would like to perform there and before Covid-19, I would go there every two weeks.
"I absolutely love it, it's amazing what a positive impact it can have on people - you see people reacting to you, they relax and they start to enjoy themselves. I remember this one time, I was about to perform 'Can't Help Falling in Love' and this woman was sat before me. Just as I began to sing, her husband walked in. She stood up, went to his arms and the two began to dance with each other. I was in tears, it was such a special moment.
"Every concert that I do, all the money goes to charity. If someone wants me to sing at a birthday party for example, I'll tell them I'll give them a full performance but that I ask them to make sure a bucket is passed around the room and that money is then sent to charity."
In 2019, Wynne was awarded the British Empire Medal for his charitable services after raising over £250,000 for various organisations, including those helping people with dementia and cancer. According to Wynne, he was "amazed" by such an accolade.
"It came at a very strange time in my life," he said. "I had unfortunately found out that I had bowel cancer and then two days later, I received a letter from Downing Street saying that I had been awarded the British Empire Medal.
"I felt like I didn't deserve it, I certainly didn't go into performing for something like this and I wasn't expecting it at all. And then, all these newspapers and TV programmes were reporting on me. One moment I was undergoing chemotherapy and then the next I was being interviewed on live TV. It was such a surreal time, but a time of mixed emotions as well."
Wynne has now made a full recovery from his illness and dedicates his spare time raising awareness with Bowel Cancer Wales. Since Covid-19 restrictions have eased, Wynne has continued with his work as a hospital chaplain and performing as an Elvis Presley tribute artist. For him, both of his passions are more similar than dissimilar.
"Both roles are about being able to communicate with a wider audience; with a wider community," he said. "If I am Elvis or if I am a hospital chaplain, I am able to reach out to other people. When you are on stage, it’s exactly the same - people are watching the show and they become a part of the show. It’s all about communication.
"I would also say in some way that in both instances I am representing somebody else. As a priest, I am representing my faith, God, Christ, my ministry and the church with what I’m doing. And when I perform, I’m simply representing Elvis Presley. They both intertwine with each other so well."
You can follow Reverend Wynne Roberts BEM's story on S4C's Pobol y Penwythnos: O’r wawr i’r machlud on Wednesday, July 20, at 10:00pm (Welsh and English subtitles are available).
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