Latest news with #HannahPhillips
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
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meet our staff: Hannah Phillips, Diana Biederman, Maya Washburn
Meet some of our staff members at The Palm Beach Post covering important issues for the community . Hannah Phillips has worked at The Palm Beach Post since May 2022. She covers civil and criminal court proceedings, as well as overdose deaths, gun violence and police use of force in Palm Beach County. She graduated from the University of Florida, where she studied journalism and public policy. She has taken part of conferences conducted by the Florida Bar and Investigative Reporters and Editors. Read more of Hannah Phillips' stories here. She is a Florida native, born and raised in Stuart. X handle - @haphillips96 Instagram - Email: hphillips@ This reporter lived in New York City for 30 years before moving to Isles of Capri in South Naples. Prior to her role at the paper, she worked in public relations for a slew of fashion, lifestyle and hospitality brands, including New York City's "21" Club and other Belmond-owned properties. Her client roster also included a relaunch of the Heineken-owned De L'Europe in Amsterdam. She has been profiled in The New York Times twice and was featured on CBS Sunday in 2015 for her late in life first marriage. Fun fact: She's banned from competing on Jeopardy!, though not because she's a quiz whiz. Why? As a publicist, she successfully pitched the show's producers on many categories, all filmed onsite at her clients' hotels, planes and trains across the globe. Always asking questions, when meeting Alex Trebek, hers was "Do you dumb it down for Celebrity Jeopardy?" His diplomatic reply: 'Categories and questions are tailored to their strengths." She is also an avid reader and library advocate, diving into celeb memoirs, bios and anything else regarding FLOTUSes past and present. Read more of Diana Biederman's stories here. X handle: @dianabcapri Instagram: dianapbgardens Email: dbiederman@ Maya has worked at The Palm Beach Post since January 2023. Her beat includes local government, growth and development and breaking news in northern Palm Beach County, the six communities which run from Lake Park to Tequesta. She has a bachelor's degree in digital journalism with a concentration in criminal justice from Florida International University, where she was a member of the Honors College. Read more of Maya Washburn's stories here. X handle: @mayalaneyy Email: mwashburn@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Meet our staff: Hannah Phillips, Diana Biederman, Maya Washburn
