Medics keeping the beat in front of almost 5,000 people

18.06.2025

A group of medics are promising to maintain a healthy rhythm at a local music festival.

The Sirenz, a covers band formed 13 years ago, is made up of Health Board staff with a passion for music and a couple of them are well versed in keeping a steady beat – as they work in our cardiac resuscitation training unit.

Hopefully, also maintaining a healthy rhythm on lead guitar will be Glan Clwyd Hospital consultant anaesthetist, Richard Pugh. He is looking forward to a knock-out performance in front of a potential crowd of 5,000 at Rhuddfest, on June 22.

In fact, they will be headlining on a main stage at Morfa Lodge Farm also being graced by dance anthem legend Ian van Dahl.

“I’m a little bit nervous – but in a good way,” revealed Richard. “We’ve never played Rhuddfest before. It was really enjoyable last year and it was great to get the invite – even though I was a little bit surprised.

“It’s just nice to reach out and reflect the connections between the local area and the hospital.”

They have done the hard yards over the years they have been gigging, playing shows across North Wales and Chester and doing charity gigs to boost hospital funds. This will be their biggest performance to date.

Joining Richard on stage will be bass guitarist Keith McKinlay, a health care support worker in our theatres, and singer Leah Davies, an advanced nurse practitioner in Glan Clwyd’s emergency department. Vocalist Cathy Morris, a resuscitation training officer, is also hoping to be able to join the band on the day.

Fellow resuscitation training officer Tim Gardner is usually seen in the background smashing out a steady beat on drums. However, his place will be taken by Wrexham Maelor deputy site manager for patient flow, Nick Lloyd, for the big gig at Rhuddfest.

The band is promising an eclectic mix of tunes from the 60s all the way through to the 2000s, so there’s no excuse for not getting up and shaking a leg during their headline set.

Joining them on stage will be three backing vocalists from the Pearl Shore Dance School in Colwyn Bay, where Leah is also an instructor.

It’s all a far cry from when Richard first played guitar as a child. He revealed: “I picked up a guitar at eight years old and had classical lessons. Then the teacher introduced me to a blues scale and that was it, I was ruined.

“I was in school and university bands but it has always been a nice escape – the most stress relieving thing to do.”

Here’s hoping The Sirenz “break a leg” at Rhuddfest - only in the theatrical sense of course.

We have launched our official WhatsApp channel to bring the latest Health Board news, updates, events and important information in your local area: Follow us on WhatsApp - Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board