THE sister of one of the world’s most celebrated drag performers has said their legacy will help support people battling addiction in their hometown of Colwyn Bay.
Chanel, sister of the late James Lee Williams — better known as drag performer The Vivienne — was among the judges at the Drag Your Heels Catwalk competition.
Hosted by The Royal Serenity, the event took place on Colwyn Bay pier, which was renamed the Emerald Stage for the day in honour of The Vivienne and their lasting legacy.
Chanel, emotional and pausing when the crowd whooped and cheered, said: “Thank you all for supporting our local Pride. I’m from Colwyn Bay, and my brother was James Williams, known to many as The Vivienne. The Vivienne was from Colwyn Bay and was extremely proud of that. He achieved so much throughout his career until his passing, which has impacted us greatly, but we’ve seen how far his influence has reached and how widely his loss has been felt.
"As a family, we wanted to make sure there is a legacy for The Vivienne that helps other people, so we have set up the House of The Vivienne. Based here in Colwyn Bay, it runs a drop‑in every Tuesday at 5pm in Ty Enfys for anyone struggling with addiction. My brother passed as a result of an addiction to ketamine, and we are trying to raise as much awareness as we can and support as many families as possible who are facing similar struggles.
"We have people here today who support the House of Viv every week, and the community has been a huge support to us. Colwyn Bay has been with us from the start, backing what we are doing. Our doors are open, and if anyone wants to speak to me today or needs advice, please just come and talk to me.
"We are raising money for Colwyn Bay Pride and the House of The Vivienne. There are collection buckets, as Serenity mentioned, likely at the front, and any contribution really does help. We are working to raise awareness and ensure people have access to support and recovery.
"Thank you all so much, and I hope you have the best day at Colwyn Bay Pride.”
After fabulous performances from The Royal Serenity and last year's winner Opal-Rose, four young drag performers strutted their stuff on the catwalk.
One of them, Krystal Clear from Wrexham, is only 16-years-old.
The crown was deservedly snatched by The Iris Effect, a North Wales drag performer who stunned those on the pier with a powerful performance of Defying Gravity from Wicked.
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