Latest news with #Gurnos
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Welsh playgroup in an estate 'with no speakers'
A woman who was embarrassed that she could not speak Welsh has sent her children to a playgroup to help them learn the language. Hannah Phillips' three daughters are all receiving their education through Welsh, with her youngest attending Welsh language playgroup Cylch Meithrin, on the Gurnos estate in Merthyr Tydfil. "I wanted them to speak our language because I feel I should be speaking Welsh," said Hannah. The group was set up by Myfanwy Harman in January 2023, where there was just one child, but the group has now grown to 27 children. Most lessons in English to be phased out in Welsh county Concerns some Welsh-language nurseries could close My town, where community spirit makes leaving hard Ms Phillips from Penydarren said she was from over the valley and there "are no Welsh speakers in our village". "I am a massive fan of the language and am slightly embarrassed I don't speak Welsh," she said. "We went to the Eisteddfod, the sports bit, a couple of weeks ago, it is such a beautiful language. It was lovely to hear, especially my girls speaking in Cymraeg [Welsh]." Myfanwy Harman said when she first set up the group it was "hard". "It was difficult to build up that relationship and trust, and show parents you don't need to be afraid of the language. "Now we have established that and shown that Welsh is for everyone." Ms Harman said the playgroup had helped changed attitudes towards the Welsh language. "When we first opened here we had a few occasions when people walked past and shouted over to us things like 'oh we don't speak Welsh here', but as time has gone on they see that they do, and they can." This term all the children from the Gurnos Cylch Meithrin have gone on to full-time Welsh-medium education, giving the playgroup cause to celebrate, said Ms Phillips. "Having the opportunity in areas like the Gurnos to introduce our language is fantastic and very much needed in Merthyr. "I think we get a little bit forgotten sometimes when it comes to the Welsh language and our culture. "The Gurnos gets massive press coverage for the wrong reasons a lot of the time and this is the stuff we don't see, which is the vital stuff." Louisa Jones who is from Cornwall, but now lives in Gurnos with both her children attending Cylch Meithrin, said: "My little girl and boy were born here and are Welsh, as someone who is Cornish, our language unfortunately died. "It is so important we don't lose Welsh." With her children both speaking Welsh, Ms Jones felt that she wanted to learn the language. "It is really inspirational, so much so that I am now learning Welsh and am volunteering here so that I can be in an environment where I can hear lots of Welsh." Learning Welsh has helped Ms Jones feel part of the Gurnos community. "I have always felt a bit of an outsider in this community, but a big thing for me is having a shared culture with my community and having some Welsh language means something. "I feel much more a part of my community by having this shared culture and heritage." It is not just parents that are learning Welsh on the estate, Ola Pala is a nursery assistant at Cylch Meithrin, having moved to Merthyr from Poland when she was seven. Working as a nursery assistant has helped her improve her Welsh. "Welsh is a hard language to learn and I am still learning, I learnt it when I was in school but I am learning more here because there is Welsh everywhere. "It really is important for me, because I want to help the children." Katie Phillips lives in Merthyr and is a former pupil at the Welsh primary school Ysgol Santes Tudful and went to Ysgol Rhydywaun, a Welsh-medium comprehensive school in the Cynon Valley. She now works for the Welsh language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith, and said she felt attitudes towards the Welsh language were changing. "There's more of a demand for people learn Welsh and for their children to speak Welsh," she said. "I think people like my parents wish they could have had the opportunity when they were younger, but didn't so we have a bit of a lost generation." The growth of the Welsh language on the Gurnos estate is being welcomed locally. Lis Mclean, who runs Canolfan Soar which is home to a number of local Welsh language organisations, said: "I think the Welsh language is incredibly important to people in Merthyr. "When you watch someone learning Welsh you see them change, they have a certain pride in themselves." What help is there with childcare costs in Wales? Sign gaffe describes school as place with 'angry look' Parents won't be asked why they chose Welsh language
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Methryr Tydfil playgroup helps boost Welsh language in community
A woman who was embarrassed that she could not speak Welsh has sent her children to a playgroup to help them learn the Phillips' three daughters are all receiving their education through Welsh, with her youngest attending Welsh language playgroup Cylch Meithrin, on the Gurnos estate in Merthyr Tydfil."I wanted them to speak our language because I feel I should be speaking Welsh," said group was set up by Myfanwy Harman in January 2023, where there was just one child, but the group has now grown to 27 children. Ms Phillips from Penydarren said she was from over the valley and there "are no Welsh speakers in our village"."I am a massive fan of the language and am slightly embarrassed I don't speak Welsh," she said."We went to the Eisteddfod, the sports bit, a couple of weeks ago, it is such a beautiful language. It was lovely to hear, especially my girls speaking in Cymraeg [Welsh]." Myfanwy Harman said when she first set up the group it was "hard"."It was difficult to build up that relationship and trust, and show parents you don't need to be afraid of the language."Now we have established that and shown that Welsh is for everyone."Ms Harman said the playgroup had helped changed attitudes towards the Welsh language."When we first opened here we had a few occasions when people walked past and shouted over to us things like 'oh we don't speak Welsh here', but as time has gone on they see that they do, and they can."This term all the children from the Gurnos Cylch Meithrin have gone on to full-time Welsh-medium education, giving the playgroup cause to celebrate, said Ms Phillips."Having the opportunity in areas like the Gurnos to introduce our language is fantastic and very much needed in Merthyr."I think we get a little bit forgotten sometimes when it comes to the Welsh language and our culture."The Gurnos gets massive press coverage for the wrong reasons a lot of the time and this is the stuff we don't see, which is the vital stuff." Louisa Jones who is from Cornwall, but now lives in Gurnos with both her children attending Cylch Meithrin, said: "My little girl and boy were born here and are Welsh, as someone who is Cornish, our language unfortunately died. "It is so important we don't lose Welsh."With her children both speaking Welsh, Ms Jones felt that she wanted to learn the language."It is really inspirational, so much so that I am now learning Welsh and am volunteering here so that I can be in an environment where I can hear lots of Welsh."Learning Welsh has helped Ms Jones feel part of the Gurnos community."I have always felt a bit of an outsider in this community, but a big thing for me is having a shared culture with my community and having some Welsh language means something."I feel much more a part of my community by having this shared culture and heritage." It is not just parents that are learning Welsh on the estate, Ola Pala is a nursery assistant at Cylch Meithrin, having moved to Merthyr from Poland when she was as a nursery assistant has helped her improve her Welsh."Welsh is a hard language to learn and I am still learning, I learnt it when I was in school but I am learning more here because there is Welsh everywhere."It really is important for me, because I want to help the children." Katie Phillips lives in Merthyr and is a former pupil at the Welsh primary school Ysgol Santes Tudful and went to Ysgol Rhydywaun, a Welsh-medium comprehensive school in the Cynon now works for the Welsh language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith, and said she felt attitudes towards the Welsh language were changing."There's more of a demand for people learn Welsh and for their children to speak Welsh," she said."I think people like my parents wish they could have had the opportunity when they were younger, but didn't so we have a bit of a lost generation."The growth of the Welsh language on the Gurnos estate is being welcomed Mclean, who runs Canolfan Soar which is home to a number of local Welsh language organisations, said: "I think the Welsh language is incredibly important to people in Merthyr."When you watch someone learning Welsh you see them change, they have a certain pride in themselves."
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Could Merthyr Tydfil be set for an electoral revolution?
"Come check the streets where normal people live. "Kids are smoking, drugs available 24/7. "When you got time check my area condition. "My invitation to the politician." Daljit Singh is the owner of Gurnos sports and social club and also a part-time songwriter - that one is destined for YouTube. "I want to express the situation from here to any leader out there. Please come and have a look," he said. Spend new defence billions in Wales, companies say Miners' strike designs help Welsh fashion find voice Senedd election could be seismic, expert says Last year he put words into action and brought Nigel Farage to Merthyr Tydfil to launch Reform's general election manifesto. Mr Singh wanted to get politicians out of their bubble and speak to people who felt left behind and neglected. The club is the sort of place Nigel Farage would have had in mind, albeit not geographically, when he recently challenged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to a debate in a northern working men's club. When we visited, Mr Singh and his colleagues were preparing the venue for actual, not verbal, fisticuffs - a 300-seat sell out white collar boxing night. While Reform did not win any Welsh seats in last year's general election, it did come second in 13 of the 32 constituencies. Mr Singh thinks Reform will do well at next year's Senedd election because "people have had enough of being let down on so many things. Why not try something new?" He added people who were struggling to get by found it "unfair" to see money being spent on migrants who had crossed the English Channel. Outside the club, in front of a parade of shops, we met Steve Collins, a builder from Troedyrhiw, who had been at the Farage speech. He said he wanted change. "We've had too many promises and nothing coming forward - Labour and the Conservatives are both the same in my opinion," he said. "This has always been a Labour town, but people are getting fed up now... the state of Merthyr," he added. Another woman told us Farage was "straight", that she had voted for him in the past, but that she would probably stick with Labour next year. Recent polling suggests Reform has a chance of becoming the biggest party in the Senedd, although it might struggle to find someone willing to do a post-election deal to form a government. It still does not have a Welsh leader and has not named any candidates. Polling also suggests that Plaid Cymru could be the party to end 27 years of Labour dominance in Cardiff Bay. A local Labour source admitted the party faced a fight but said it needed to shout more loudly about its achievements, mentioning the completed Heads of the Valleys road, the new Metro and improvements at Prince Charles Hospital. Merthyr has long been one of Labour's heartlands and has had a long history of political change and controversy. It returned the first Labour MP in a Welsh constituency, Keir Hardie, in 1900. It was scene of a Jeremy Corbyn leadership rally in 2016, a Yes Cymru pro-independence March in 2019 and has had its share of recent controversies, including delays over armoured vehicles for the Army which are built in the town and issues with an opencast coal mine. It is also one of the areas with the highest benefits claimant rate so is likely to be disproportionately hit by UK Labour government welfare reforms. Most famously Merthyr was where workers rose up against appalling conditions and poor pay in 1831 - a rebellion which became known as the Merthyr Rising. As next May approaches are we looking at another revolution at the ballot box? Across town at Merthyr Tydfil College, a lively politics and governance class left you in little doubt that more political upheaval could be on the way. "We are seeing the overturn of that sort of Labour Welsh order of this guarantee that Wales will always be Labour until the cows come home," said 17-year-old Zack. "I do think Labour takes it for granted with their traditional safe seats. These aren't iron strongholds anymore of Labour," he added. Aaron, also 17, agreed. "We've seen the start of Labour's downfall," he said. "They've become too comfortable with the fact that they've always been voted in in Wales and we're now getting to the point where we're seeing other parties gain support like Plaid Cymru." He added: "I'm seeing a lot of people who have been lifelong Labour supporters and they've now decided that they're going to vote Reform or Plaid because Labour's not in the best interests for people anymore in Wales." While not necessarily supporting Farage, 16-year-old Isobelle and 17-year-old Amber-Rose recognised the Reform leader's appeal. "Whatever Reform say people might gravitate towards them because it is so new and Nigel Farage is so 'in his own way' that it will appeal to people. "We do have strong Labour and Conservative leaders but Nigel Farage does seem to be more prominent," they said. Other topics that cropped up included the "betrayal" of the working class over benefits reform, and the question of fairness. Why did Scotland have powers over the Crown Estate, justice and policing when Wales did not? For these young voters the principle rather than the policy area appeared to count for more. Wales had moved with the times, they argued, and politicians needed to move too. They also thought that Plaid Cymru and Reform were better at getting through to younger voters on social media than Labour. The students agreed that you could sum up next year's election with one word - change. The slogan that propelled UK Labour to a landslide win at the general election last year could be exactly what costs its Welsh colleagues at the Senedd in 2026. In two very different parts of town, predictions for next year were very much the same. What's your Senedd constituency? What does the Senedd do? How do you vote in the Senedd election?
