An acclaimed local musician has spoken of her delight in a career change that will see her helping mark milestone moments in the lives of Tivyside people.

Mandy Painting is a very well-known and acclaimed local musician who over the years has been involved in lots of local productions as well as performing professionally.

Mandy, 63, lives on the family farm near Llangrannog.

In her teens she reached the semi-finals of the very first Young Musician of the Year competition and at the age of 18, I went to the Royal Northern College of Music for four years studying the tuba.

She then took a side step in her musical career, changing to piano singing and popular music. For the next two decades she travelled the world, performing on cruise ships and in hotels.

“In 2001, I came home with a view to taking over my parents' Bed & Breakfast,” said Mandy. “Something that didn't mean I had to be awake at 1pm entertaining people.

Mandy ran the B&B but it was not something that she loved and Covid restrictions in 2020 became her ‘ticket out’.

“When a man from the local authority explained I would have to carry the guests' breakfast upstairs and stand two metres back while they opened the door [I thought] no thanks,” she said. “I didn't even want to carry it into the dining room.”

While this was going on Mandy was also caring for her mother. She did this for 12 years until she died this January aged 92.

As well as caring for her mother Mandy trained to be a counsellor and hypnotherapist and also had the odd gig singing in residential homes and day centres.

Towards the end, she began training as an independent celebrant and is now a wedding and funeral celebrant. She is also training to be a naming celebrant too.

“I was playing the piano for a friend’s wedding being held by a celebrant and I knew immediately that was the direction I wanted to take,” she said.

“Discovering the role of a celebrant felt like finding my true calling — combining all my experiences into a service that honours life’s most meaningful moments.

“Looking ahead, I see this as being a job I will love,” said Mandy. “I also hope to do some public speaking in the future.

“I'd like to begin this locally giving talks to groups about the life of a celebrant, what one is and how I can serve the community.”

Mandy also wants to continue with music and incorporate it into her celebrant work.