Hundreds of thousands of people attended the 'People's Vote' march in London last weekend, and Powys was well represented among them.

Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire residents made their way to the march on Saturday, October 20, in organised coaches leaving from Brecon and Shrewsbury, or independently.

The march, which an estimated 700,000 people attended, called for a referendum on the final Brexit deal the UK Government reach with the EU.

The four coaches leaving from Shrewsbury were part of the Open Britain campaign group, and the one leaving from Brecon, carrying 32 campaigners, was organised by the Brecon and Radnorshire Liberal Democrats and Wales for Europe.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: “There was a great atmosphere as we brought the centre of London to a standstill with our demand for the people to have the say on the final deal agreed on Brexit.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Llandrindod South Ward, Pete Roberts, attended the march, and discussed the protest on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Marchers squeezed down Pall Mall, past St James’s Palace and Trafalgar Square, before turning towards Downing Street and Parliament.

Among those who went on the march from the Llanfyllin area were David Eyres and Anne Whitehouse, who went on one of the coaches from Shrewsbury. Anne said: "It was a long, exhausting day but worth it for the sense of hope again, in contrast to the terrible mess that Brexit has become.

"At the referendum there was no instruction about how to leave. We had no idea then what kind of Brexit we would be offered. A £40 billion divorce bill, the loss of jobs in major industries, no extra money for the NHS, the threat of stock-piled food – it’s hard to imagine that’s what people were choosing.

"Let us have the right to think again – this time with our eyes wide open – and if we still opt to proceed, then fine."

Radnorshire sheep farmer David Hardwick, who lives near Llanbister, made his first ever journey to London to protest for A People’s Vote earlier in the year. He was back; motivated by concerns that Mid Wales farmers would face catastrophe if they lose tariff-free access to the EU Single Market and are forced to compete against cheaper, lower quality meat imports from the USA and elsewhere after Brexit.

Fred, aged 24, who organised the coach trip to the march, said: “This was probably the largest ever march for an open, tolerant and united Britain. I am pleased we gave people the opportunity to go and proud that everyone treated the organisers, police and London public with civility and respect. We put the best of Britain on display.

“Personally, I am concerned about the lack of clarity on how Brexit could impact NHS services, in areas such as the recruitment of European doctors, dentists and nurses and the supply of organs for transplant from Europe.”

Sherrida, a former member of the armed forces, who also lived in Belfast during the Troubles, said: “I saw the terrorism of the IRA first hand. We must not do anything that takes us back to those terrible times. Right now, there is no government in Stormont and I am very worried that a hard border across Ireland would threaten Britain’s peace and security.”

Aedan, aged 13, said: “Brexit is rubbish, it’s going to change my future and that’s not fair or right.”

His brother Cormac, aged 11, said:

“I wanted to march as it’s my future and I want to change what’s happening.”