A 91-year-old author who lives in Llanidloes was so moved by the scenes of war on television that he is selling his latest book to raise money for Ukrainian families coming to Wales.

Bruce Mawdesley’s fifth book Late Harvest is dedicated to his late partner Glennys for her “constant encouragement and support” and all proceeds will go towards supporting the Welsh Refugee Centre’s Ukrainian work.

“I was watching the appalling carnage taking place in Ukraine on television, with all those houses and homes destroyed,” said Bruce, a well-known character in Llanidloes.

“It brought back to me the horror of being bombed out as a boy in the Second World War.

“I thought this would be my chance, near the end of my life, to do something positive to help relieve their suffering.”

Late Harvest features recollections of Bruce’s early years in Gloucestershire and the rural way of life and characters he met along the way; his father Robert, who was the first actor to play Walter Gabriel in the long-running radio series The Archers; and his years in Wales living with and beside the River Trannon.

This collection of writing sees a return collaboration with renowned illustrator Jane Keay, whose work currently on show at three galleries: Bluestone Gallery, Hay-on-Wye, Oxenham Art Gallery, Leominster, Made in the Marches Gallery, Kington.

After spending decades learning the craft of dry-stone walling in Gloucestershire, Bruce moved to Powys in the 1980s with his partner Glennys who sadly died in 2021.

Bruce was a regular on BBC Radio reading his prose and poetry, published by Country Quest, This England, The Countryman, Evergreen as well as in several local newspapers.

Both Bruce and Jane spent their childhoods in the depths of the countryside. Their previous books together include Arsenic Lupin’ and It Takes All Sorts, amongst others.

Some of those titles will be on sale on Saturday, August 20, with only the proceeds of ‘Late Harvest’ will be going to charity.

The event will take place at The Hanging Gardens Café’, Bethel Street, Llanidloes were the authors will be present to sign books between 11am and 3pm.