Zulu Dinner 2022: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

Fans of the film Zulu were treated to a wonderful evening of food, film and facts at a fundraising event in Brecon.

The Friends of the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum hosted 160 people at their Zulu Dinner on the 15th October 2022, at the Infantry Battle School, Dering Lines.

The Sergeants’ Mess was decked out in floral displays and twinkling lights for a dinner, presentation and charity auction with special guests including Her Majesty Queen Nompumelelo from KwaZulu Natal, and South African High Commissioner Jeremiah Nyamane Mamabolo.

Film producer and director Henry Coleman gave the guests a sneak peek at some never-before-seen footage from the making of the 1964 film Zulu. And actor Glyn Baker, son of Sir Stanley Baker, shared his memories of being on set as a child.

The evening, which raised £5000 for the museum, also featured a talk by well-known Zulu War author John Young.

Dinner guests included descendants of Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead VC, Colour-Sergeant Frank Bourne DCM and privates Henry Hook VC and Robert Jones VC, who, against all the odds successfully defended the mission station at Rorke’s Drift in 1879.

Queen Nompumelelo honoured museum trustee and event organiser, Dorcas Cresswell, with a special medal in recognition of her work in cultural exchange between KwaZulu Natal and Wales. Fellow cultural liaison Gugu Ngcobo also received a medal from the Queen. Chair of the Friends of the Museum, David Warren, and David Cresswell were each given a Mbata, a Zulu cape, (traditionally made with leopard skin, but more environmentally friendly nowadays!).

Dorcas said: “I have had some lovely comments from people who attended the dinner, they really seemed to enjoy themselves. It was a great success and we’ve had some great media coverage too, which has to be good for the museum.

“We are now planning an event for next year, but it will be on a different footing – watch this space!”

The dinner marked the end of a series of meetings and events for the Zulu Queen, who was building on the bonds between KwaZulu Natal and Brecon, forged by her late husband King Goodwill Zwelithini. She established a cultural exchange programme between Llanfaes Primary School in Brecon and her own school in KwaZulu Natal, toured the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum and also attended a reception at the town hall with local dignitaries.