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North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Artist paints Mike Peters while watching his funeral
Tanja Durrant, 54, who paints under the name of Gigsketch Art, grew up in North Wales and was inspired by The Alarm as a teenager. She first saw the band perform while supporting U2 at Cardiff Arms Park in the 1980s - the first-ever gig that she travelled to at the age of 16. The experience left a lasting impression on her as a young Welsh music fan. Years later, Tanja crossed paths with Mike Peters again - this time through the Love Hope Strength Foundation, the cancer charity he co-founded after his own health battles. Tanja joined Snowdon Rocks 2 to raise money for the charity and also in memory of her mother, a keen walker who died of leukaemia in 2005, nine years after her diagnosis. Tanja painting a tribute to Mike during the livestream of his funeral (Image: Tanja Durrant) Tanja, who has a 14-year-old son, said: "I remember it being a wet and windy midsummers day but that didn't dampen our spirits. I remember Mike singing before the walk, halfway up and on the summit. He was such a friendly, down to earth and humble man and took time to chat to us all. I took some photographs at the time from the summit, which was shrouded in low cloud and thought at the time, what a good painting it would make. I never did do that painting but over the years, I have focussed on drawing and painting at live gigs and performances and am now building my business as a full time freelance live event painter [Gigsketch Art]. "On learning of the open funeral at Dyserth for Mike, I wanted to attend but I live in Cornwall and couldn't make the journey so I decided to watch the livestream. I wanted to pay tribute to Mike and my memories of him so I did a painting of him whilst watching the funeral. Tanja painted the art from memory and by using photo references (Image: Tanja Durrant) "I hope to raise funds for Love Hope Strength by doing a limited edition print run of the painting, donating a percentage of the profits to the charity." Tanja, who usually paints live - at gigs, festivals and weddings and uses mainly acrylic paint for her art, painted the art from memory, photo and video reference. She said she felt "very connected" to Mike whilst doing the painting. The painting includes the bird that perched on Mike's guitar; The bird, identified as a Dipper - a short-tailed, stout bird, made its appearance when James Chippendale, co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, was paying tribute to his friend during the funeral service. Tanja said: "Just watching the funeral and remembering Mike in The Alarm and when they supported U2 made me feel very connected to Mike when I was painting. Mike Peters with Tania; Tania met Mike at Snowdon Rocks 2 (Image: Tanja Durrant) "It was memories too from Snowdon Rocks 2. Mike was playing the guitar and we were singing along, It was a very special moment." Tanja, who has painted three murals at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan, first got into sketching bands through a personal connection to Jools Holland; she knew one of his band members from a previous job with a touring cabaret theatre troupe. She said: "Having not seen my friend for a few years, I made some calls and blagged my way into a Jools Holland gig in Cardiff in 1999. I got to know them all and ended up travelling and sketching on the road with them after asking if I could sketch from the wings at a Llandudno outdoor gig the following year. "I ended up moving to London to caretake Jools's recording studio for a spell, meeting other Welsh greats such as Stereophonics and Tom Jones, and I was lucky enough to sketch at some of the later shows." Thousands of fans descended on Dyserth on Thursday, May 29 for Mike's funeral which was held at Parish Church of St Bridget and St Cwyfan. A large screen was set up outside the church. The funeral, broadcast on The Alarm's YouTube, has been watched by more than 100,000 people. Mike died aged 66 on April 29 from blood cancer. The musician was first diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) at the age of 36. Anyone interested in purchasing a print of the painting can contact info@ Readers can also search Gigsketch Art on Facebook and Instagram @gigsketch_art
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Artist paints Mike Peters while watching his funeral
Tanja Durrant, 54, who paints under the name of Gigsketch Art, grew up in North Wales and was inspired by The Alarm as a teenager. She first saw the band perform while supporting U2 at Cardiff Arms Park in the 1980s - the first-ever gig that she travelled to at the age of 16. The experience left a lasting impression on her as a young Welsh music fan. Years later, Tanja crossed paths with Mike Peters again - this time through the Love Hope Strength Foundation, the cancer charity he co-founded after his own health battles. Tanja joined Snowdon Rocks 2 to raise money for the charity and also in memory of her mother, a keen walker who died of leukaemia in 2005, nine years after her diagnosis. Tanja painting a tribute to Mike during the livestream of his funeral (Image: Tanja Durrant) Tanja, who has a 14-year-old son, said: "I remember it being a wet and windy midsummers day but that didn't dampen our spirits. I remember Mike singing before the walk, halfway up and on the summit. He was such a friendly, down to earth and humble man and took time to chat to us all. I took some photographs at the time from the summit, which was shrouded in low cloud and thought at the time, what a good painting it would make. I never did do that painting but over the years, I have focussed on drawing and painting at live gigs and performances and am now building my business as a full time freelance live event painter [Gigsketch Art]. "On learning of the open funeral at Dyserth for Mike, I wanted to attend but I live in Cornwall and couldn't make the journey so I decided to watch the livestream. I wanted to pay tribute to Mike and my memories of him so I did a painting of him whilst watching the funeral. Tanja painted the art from memory and by using photo references (Image: Tanja Durrant) "I hope to raise funds for Love Hope Strength by doing a limited edition print run of the painting, donating a percentage of the profits to the charity." Tanja, who usually paints live - at gigs, festivals and weddings and uses mainly acrylic paint for her art, painted the art from memory, photo and video reference. She said she felt "very connected" to Mike whilst doing the painting. The painting includes the bird that perched on Mike's guitar; The bird, identified as a Dipper - a short-tailed, stout bird, made its appearance when James Chippendale, co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, was paying tribute to his friend during the funeral service. Tanja said: "Just watching the funeral and remembering Mike in The Alarm and when they supported U2 made me feel very connected to Mike when I was painting. Mike Peters with Tania; Tania met Mike at Snowdon Rocks 2 (Image: Tanja Durrant) "It was memories too from Snowdon Rocks 2. Mike was playing the guitar and we were singing along, It was a very special moment." Tanja, who has painted three murals at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan, first got into sketching bands through a personal connection to Jools Holland; she knew one of his band members from a previous job with a touring cabaret theatre troupe. She said: "Having not seen my friend for a few years, I made some calls and blagged my way into a Jools Holland gig in Cardiff in 1999. I got to know them all and ended up travelling and sketching on the road with them after asking if I could sketch from the wings at a Llandudno outdoor gig the following year. "I ended up moving to London to caretake Jools's recording studio for a spell, meeting other Welsh greats such as Stereophonics and Tom Jones, and I was lucky enough to sketch at some of the later shows." Thousands of fans descended on Dyserth on Thursday, May 29 for Mike's funeral which was held at Parish Church of St Bridget and St Cwyfan. A large screen was set up outside the church. The funeral, broadcast on The Alarm's YouTube, has been watched by more than 100,000 people. Mike died aged 66 on April 29 from blood cancer. The musician was first diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) at the age of 36. Anyone interested in purchasing a print of the painting can contact info@ Readers can also search Gigsketch Art on Facebook and Instagram @gigsketch_art
North Wales Chronicle
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Bird lands on Mike Peters's guitar during his funeral
The bird, identified as a Dipper - a short-tailed, stout bird, made its appearance when James Chippendale, co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, was paying tribute to his friend during the service at held on Thursday, May 29 at the Parish Church of St Bridget and St Cwyfan in Dyserth. Mike's wife Jules and Love Hope Strength both shared a reflective post on social media which said: "At Mike Peters' funeral James Chippendale, Mike and Jules' great friend and co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, spoke about the hope Mike gave people. Just at that point in the service a dipper bird flew into the church and perched on a guitar near James. That particular guitar was one of Mike's favourites. "It's been suggested that a bird flying into a church during a funeral service is 'a positive omen, a sign of the departed soul's journey to peace'. Rather wonderfully, some of those watching the bird suggested it seemed to be dancing when Dafydd Iwan sang 'Yma o Hyd'. "In addition, when Jules and family were at Mike's grave, a robin appeared. In Celtic Mythology, 'birds are considered intermediaries between the earthly and spiritual worlds. The robin, in particular, was believed to carry messages from deceased loved ones, bridging the gap between life and death'. "Whether you believe in the symbolism of birds at funerals or not, given Mike's love of nature and the outdoors this was a beautiful addition to a memorable day. "The day had been planned carefully, but this dipper bird has captivated the imaginations of many, showing that sometimes it's the things over which we have no control that have the power to make a moment in time feel even more special." Thousands turned out for The Alarm frontman's funeral on Thursday and more than 100,000 people have watched the celebration of Mike's life on YouTube. Many fans took to Facebook to share their thoughts on the bird, with many saying they hoped it had brought the family comfort. RELATED STORIES: One person said: "There was a big gasp in the crowd outside when the bird flew in and settled there - a wonderful moment." Another person wrote: "I totally believe in nature, especially birds, bridging the gap between loved ones. I hope it has bought comfort." David Weeks said: "The day before, a bunch of us did the waterfall hike and there was a dipper bird that just sat there while we were in the bridge. I was expecting it to fly away when we got closer but he didn't." Another said: "I noticed immediately while watching on YouTube - it was a sign, it had meaning, it had a purpose." The talented and beloved frontman of The Alarm died aged 66 from blood cancer on April 29. Mike, along with James, co-founded the Love Hope Strength Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for cancer centres around the world through music-related events and promotions and registers donors for the International Bone Marrow Registry. James said: "Mike didn't just sing strength, he built a movement around it. He instilled it in the boys, he lived it."
Rhyl Journal
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Bird lands on Mike Peters's guitar during his funeral
The bird, identified as a Dipper - a short-tailed, stout bird, made its appearance when James Chippendale, co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, was paying tribute to his friend during the service at held on Thursday, May 29 at the Parish Church of St Bridget and St Cwyfan in Dyserth. Mike's wife Jules and Love Hope Strength both shared a reflective post on social media which said: "At Mike Peters' funeral James Chippendale, Mike and Jules' great friend and co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, spoke about the hope Mike gave people. Just at that point in the service a dipper bird flew into the church and perched on a guitar near James. That particular guitar was one of Mike's favourites. "It's been suggested that a bird flying into a church during a funeral service is 'a positive omen, a sign of the departed soul's journey to peace'. Rather wonderfully, some of those watching the bird suggested it seemed to be dancing when Dafydd Iwan sang 'Yma o Hyd'. "In addition, when Jules and family were at Mike's grave, a robin appeared. In Celtic Mythology, 'birds are considered intermediaries between the earthly and spiritual worlds. The robin, in particular, was believed to carry messages from deceased loved ones, bridging the gap between life and death'. "Whether you believe in the symbolism of birds at funerals or not, given Mike's love of nature and the outdoors this was a beautiful addition to a memorable day. "The day had been planned carefully, but this dipper bird has captivated the imaginations of many, showing that sometimes it's the things over which we have no control that have the power to make a moment in time feel even more special." Thousands turned out for The Alarm frontman's funeral on Thursday and more than 100,000 people have watched the celebration of Mike's life on YouTube. Many fans took to Facebook to share their thoughts on the bird, with many saying they hoped it had brought the family comfort. RELATED STORIES: One person said: "There was a big gasp in the crowd outside when the bird flew in and settled there - a wonderful moment." Another person wrote: "I totally believe in nature, especially birds, bridging the gap between loved ones. I hope it has bought comfort." David Weeks said: "The day before, a bunch of us did the waterfall hike and there was a dipper bird that just sat there while we were in the bridge. I was expecting it to fly away when we got closer but he didn't." Another said: "I noticed immediately while watching on YouTube - it was a sign, it had meaning, it had a purpose." The talented and beloved frontman of The Alarm died aged 66 from blood cancer on April 29. Mike, along with James, co-founded the Love Hope Strength Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for cancer centres around the world through music-related events and promotions and registers donors for the International Bone Marrow Registry. James said: "Mike didn't just sing strength, he built a movement around it. He instilled it in the boys, he lived it."
North Wales Live
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Birds send 'sign' in 'beautifully iconic' moment at Mike Peters' funeral
Two small birds captivated friends and fans during yesterday's 'spot on perfect' funeral for Mike Peters (Thursday, May 29). One caused a ripple of excitement when it joined the star-studded congregation in Dyserth, the Denbighshire village the rock musician lived in. Later, in the cemetery, a robin alighted near Mike's graveside. In Celtic mythology, the robin was a symbol of passion as well as new beginnings - they were believed to bring messages of hope and rebirth. Mourners flew in from the USA and around the world for the moving and eloquent service at St Bridget and St Cwyfan Church. Some 24 speakers offered tributes, memories and music during the almost two-and-a-half-hour service. There were tears but also plenty of laughter as friends and relatives remembered a life well lived. At one point, heads turned when a bird fluttered over the altar and landed on one of Mike's guitars. Perched next to Mike's widow Jules and her two boys, it remained almost motionless for quite some time, as if listening to the service. Dozens of the 7,000 people watching a live stream took it as a 'sign'. One viewer wrote online: 'When a bird appears, a loved one is near. The bird is Mike Leslie Peters getting a final wish to say goodbye to everyone here today.' Another said it was a 'beautifully iconic' moment. The bird was thought to be a Dipper, perhaps visiting from Dyserth's famous waterfall next to the church. A third person added: 'I like to think that is Mike letting us all know he is with us all.' The rock star, frontman of North Wales band The Alarm, died on April 29 from blood cancer at the age of 66. He'd been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia more than 30 years earlier. Jules, 58, and sons Dylan, 21, and Evan, 18, were applauded by hundreds of fans as they walked into the church, with his wife clutching a single red rose and his youngest son carrying his father's ashes. Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone Around 150 guests attended the emotional funeral service, including James Chippendale, the co-founder of the Peters' charity, Love Hope Strength, which aims to raise awareness and funds for those fighting cancer. Mr Chippendale, who travelled from Mexico for the funeral, told PA News the celebration of his life was 'very, very Mike Peters'. He said: 'A little bit grungy, a little bit long, a little bit funny, a little bit sad, great music, and it just couldn't have been a more perfect ending. I think he would have been laughing his ass off.' During a string of heartfelt eulogies Danny Cohen - Mike's son Dylan's godfather - said Mike's energy was superhuman. Andy Labrow, The Alarm's tour manager, remembered discussing politics, faith and music with Mike. Andy said Mike felt like his brother from another mother and 'we never had a crossed word.' He added: 'I never thought I'd say that about a Man Utd fan,' to laughter from the audience. Weatherman Derek Brockway remembered a walk he went on with Mike from Gwaenysgor to Prestatyn. He said 'Mike may have been an international rock star but he never let fame go to his head. Mike was one of the nicest people you could wish to meet.' And in another eulogy, Sean Taylor, Zip World founder and friend, said: 'He was the most positive guy I have ever met in my life. He honestly truly thought he was going to get through this (last illness).' Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth paid tribute to everything Mike had done for Wales. 'Thank you for celebrating that Welshness that binds us together.' Dafydd Iwan, who sang Yma o Hyd, called Mike 'a very inspiring man'. He said: 'I can't believe there has ever been such a collection of eulogies so beautifully expressed.' One of the most moving parts of the service, which lasted just under three hours, came when tenor Rhys Meirion, who has had his own health issues and only had an operation ten days ago, sang Anfonaf Angel. Another emotional moment came when Mike and Jules' son Evan played Oasis's Wonderwall. At the end, mourners were asked to pause in the church and on the road outside while the Peters family laid Mike, whose ashes were in a casket, to rest in the churchyard. A celebration of his life was then held in The Red in Dyserth where Mike had performed only last December. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
