Glasbury Arts have paid tribute to Labour peer Lord David Lipsey, whose body was recovered from the River Wye near Glasbury last week.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed the 77-year-old was found on Tuesday following a multi-agency search, after he was last seen swimming in the river.

In a statement, the force said: “Dyfed-Powys Police received a report concerning the safety of a man who was last seen swimming in the River Wye, Glasbury.

“Following a multi-agency search on July 1, sadly, we can confirm the body of Lord David Lipsey was recovered.

“His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. They have asked for their privacy to be respected.”

The tribute from Glasbury Arts reads: “It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Lord David who drowned whilst swimming in the river Wye at Glasbury on 1 July. Lord David and his wife Lady Margaret were our first patrons.

“Losing someone we regard as a long-standing friend is even more painful in these tragic circumstances and our thoughts are with Lady Margaret and the family at this difficult time.

“Lord David’s link with Glasbury Arts goes back to 2003 when he visited our first exhibition, which was intended to be a one-off event but is now in its 22nd year. What impressed him most was the fact that students from Gwernyfed High School were exhibiting alongside significant artists and, together with Lady Margaret. became one of our longest serving and most generous supporters. When the new independent Glasbury Arts charity was formed in April 2011 we invited them both to become patrons.

“Our annual exhibition grew and developed maintaining the ethos of having both established artists and local secondary school students exhibiting together that had so impressed Lord David back in 2003. This theme was continued when we co-founded the Celebration of Welsh Contemporary Painting series of exhibitions across Wales with Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery in 2017. Along with the visual arts Lord David’s interests also spread into music and both he and Lady Margaret supported many young musicians over the years.

“When Glasbury Arts set up a Harp Summer School in 2011 Lord David became a regular visitor at the final concert and was so enthusiastic about the performance. In 2020 we set up our Harps in Schools programme providing free music tuition to young people in two of our local schools, and Lord David made his support a priority.

“There are also other Mid Wales charities he supported, being a trustee of the Cambrian Music Trust, Chairman of the Sidney Nolan Trust, and a trustee of the Mid-Wales Music Trust. Others will no doubt write extensively about his considerable political career, and his journalistic life for diverse publications such The Times, Guardian and, Economist not to mention his enthusiastic interest in harness and greyhound racing.

“For Glasbury Arts however, it his support and commitment to our charity over 22 years which is uppermost in our minds, and we have lost a great friend and supporter who will be irreplaceable and missed by us all.”