Friends and neighbours gathered in the run-up to Christmas to celebrate the diamond wedding anniversary of Brigadier John Skinner and his wife Sonia, who have lived in Abergavenny for the past 31 years.

The couple met through the army, where Mrs Skinner’s father was a colonel, and married in the garrison church in Camberley in December 1956.

By the time he retired from the army in 1985 Brigadier Skinner had completed 33 years of military service, including spells of 17 years in the Far East and nine years in Germany.

He then spent three years as Chief Executive of Gwent Health Authority, having been head hunted from the army in days when Margaret Thatcher was encouraging people from more diverse backgrounds into public service.

“Sonia had never been to Wales before so we took a a holiday here and on the way back from Llandovery toured around the countryside and paid a visit to Abergavenny,” he explained. “We decided it was the ideal place for us to settle down, bought a house here and have lived here ever since.”

Following his three years as GHA chief executive Brigadier Skinner was appointed UN Humanitarian Relief Co-ordinator in southern Africa during a time of severe drought. He continued in that role for eight years.

His wife meanwhile became chairman of the local Abbeyfield charity. Her association with Abbeyfield lasted twenty years and in 2005 she received the award of Wales Volunteer of the Year from Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Brigadier Skinner’s main hobby is history. In the 1970s he was a research fellow at Oxford University, on secondment from the army.

For some years he was a leading light with Abergavenny Local History Society - among other things organising and leading visits and tours in the UK, northern France and Belgium connected to the two world wars. He retired from that role at the end of 2015.

He lists, among his numerous other interests, collecting model cars.

The couple, who live in Fosterville Crescent, have three grown-up sons - Julian, Jonathan and Jeremy - six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.