A doctor who has served as a GP in Newtown for 33 years is the new president of the London-based Montgomeryshire Society.

Dr Margaret Jones of Plascoch, Dolanog was installed as the new president by outgoing president John Eifion Jones in a ceremony held at the Borough Welsh Chapel in London on Friday November 18.

In her acceptance speech Dr Jones said she was “honoured to be president of such a prestigious society, particularly one that had done so much for the young people of Montgomeryshire in developing their artistic and literary talents through the annual schools competition.”

Dr Jones also outlined the society’s events which are planned for the new year.

These include a Plygain service in January at the Borough Chapel, followed by the June Gruffydd Lecture in February on The Dyfi at the Historic Heart of Wales by Professor Ricard Mayou at the Medical Society of London in Cavendish Place.

The annual dinner will be at the Farmer’s Club in April and a weekend visit to Montgomeryshire is also schedule for June, based around Newtown.

A former pupil of Caereinion High School, Dr Jones graduated from Cardiff in 1980 and subsequently worked at the Newtown Medical Practice, she is also a member of the Gorsedd Eisteddfod Powys.

The outgoing president John Eifion Jones was first elected in 2019 but stayed in the position, which is normally held for one year, throughout the Covid Lockdown.

In his farewell speech Mr Jones said it had “been an honour to be president of the society” and joked that “he would probably be the only one to have seen three Prime Ministers and four Chancellors of the Exchequer come and go during his tenure.”

The evening also had a talk given by the artist Llangadfan Eleri Mills – renowned for her paintings of Welsh landscapes. In conversation with the art historian Mari Griffith, she discussed her life and career and artistic influences.