MENTER IAITH NEWS OCTOBER 2004

A CHANCE TO MEET MENTER IAITH
You already know everything about us of course – you read this every month! This is your opportunity to meet Menter Iaith’s staff and committee members, to have your say on Menter Iaith’s work, to tell us in which areas we need to change things, suggest other areas which we could develop and to tell us what we’re doing badly.

01/10/04, 12-2PM
MODEL HOUSE, LLANTRISANT
SMALL BUFFET

06/10/04. 4-7PM
YSGOL GYNRADD GYMRAEG ABERDÂR
SMALL BUFFET

15/10/04, 6-8PM
THE MUNI, PONTYPRIDD
JAYNE DAVIDSON
TEA + COFFEE PLUS PERFORMANCES BY CARREG LAFAR, CYTGORD AND
MICHAEL HARVEY

21/10/04, 7-9PM
NAVIGATION PARK, ABERCYNON
MENTER IAITH’S ANNUAL MEETING
HELEN PROSSER
UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN

There will be displays of all of the services provided by Menter Iaith such as childcare, community translation, youth work, community development – Communities First – and our work with Welsh learners, Parti Ponty and businesses. You will be able to learn more about Rhondda Cynon Taff’s Welsh Voluntary Movement Forum, the Valleys Welsh Language Board Association, the Glamorgan Consultation Committee and Menter Iaith’s other committees. You will also be able to learn more about our efforts to raise money for all kinds of things and how you could especially help us if you shop in Tesco or if you would like to contribute your small change with the launch of our ‘Small change to change the language’ collection.
At the Annual Meeting you will have the opportunity to become a member of Menter Iaith by volunteering your services to work on one of our commitees or on the Executive Committee which arranges everything.

WHO ARE THE MENTER IAITH STAFF?
Thanks to our various sponsors, including the Welsh Language Board and Rhondda Cynon Taff Council, we have a substantial number of staff at present:-
Chief Executive
Steffan Webb '07976 167086
Office and Accounts Manager
Huw Thomas Davies '01443 226386
Financial Officer
Helen John '01443 226386
Children’s Services Co-ordinator
Llinos Owen '01443 226386
CIC Youth Co-ordinator
Dewi Phillips '01685 882299
CIC Youth Co-ordinator/ Economic Development
Vicky Pugh & Mari Griffiths '01685 882299
CIC Assistant Youth Co-ordinator
Sali James '01685 882299
Communities First Participation Officer
Lindsay Jones '01685 877183
Communities First Clerical Officer
Helen Davies '01685 877183
Co mmunity Translator for Morgannwg Gwent
Rhian Powell '01685 877183

We hope to appoint at least one other person to the Communities First team in the near future and are looking to re-organise our business services.

CLWB CARCO TURNS BLUE
All Clwb Carco staff will look very smart over the next few weeks as they receive blue polo shirts to wear whilst in work. Looking after children is a great responsibility and we always strive to improve arrangements. A very visible sign of this will be the new blue polo shirts in order to ensure that the staff are clearly visible to all. Staff will also be receiving First Aid training very shortly – we intend to ensure that every member of staff has a current First Aid certificate and basic Health and Safety knowledge. Also, many of our staff have been attending Cache Level 2&3 courses, the standard qualifications which will be required by 2008.
CRIW COCH AT THE HOLIDAY PLAYSCHEMES
Good news and great delight – your children’s favourite playleaders are back during half term – Gareth Parsons in Llanhari, Bethan Clayton in Bronllwyn, Diane Williams in Rhydfelen and Siân Williams in Abercynon each wearing their red polo shirts and with lots of activities in store. Among the highlights this time will be – United Nations Day on Monday, Pop Groups/Pop Idol on Tuesday, Sport on Wednesday, a visit from Superted on Thursday and Hallowe’en parties on the Friday. As well as all this there will be swimming, bouncy castles and arts & crafts every day during the week. There’s something for everyone and if you want your children to have the opportunity to speak Welsh as well as enjoy themselves with friends make sure you book a place for them in the Playschemes by telephoning 01443 226386 as soon as possible.

COMMUNITY TRANSLATION OF A HIGH STANDARD
Rhian Powell, Aberdare, has newly started her job as a community translator with Menter Iaith Morgannwg Gwent and it’s very good to report her success and enthusiasm but also to mention the standard of her work. I never argue when she tells me that I’ve made a mistake. She has newly graduated from the Department of Welsh at the University of Wales Swansea and is returning there to study towards an MA in Translation whilst also working for us. She is also enjoying providing an instantaneous translation service and is benefitting from the help and advice provided by Elin Tudur, who has always been of great help to us with translation. If you work for a community group or school which would like to experiment with the translation equipment and use a translator who will provide a high standard of service you should telephone Rhian on 01685 877183. Businesses can also hire our translation equipment by calling the same number.

A NEW OFFICE IN RHONDDA FACH?
At present we’re considering moving to the Arts Factory in Ferndale, Rhondda Fach, where a number of very successful community groups such as Too Good to Waste and the Arts Factory are based. I believe that it is very important that we have a presence in each of the valleys and the Chief Executive is starting to tire of using his little red Skoda as an office.

A NEW NEWSLETTER FOR
RHONDDA FAWR?
It’s early days, I’m sure, but some of the Welsh learners from the Llwynypia, Tonypandy and Clydach Vale areas are considering establishing a newsletter as Rhondda Fach doesn’t have one at present. If this does happen then it will be another great development for Communities First which appears to be the Government’s first major project to actively and substantially include the Welsh language. Assistance is required in order to establish new Welsh nursery groups, new Welsh coffee mornings, to assist Twf and a number of Welsh community groups not only from Menter Iaith but also from other local partnerships.

VALLEYS’ GREATEST COFFEE MORNINGS
Are you looking for an opportunity to speak Welsh? Are you looking for somewhere to practice what you’ve learned in class? Come to our coffee mornings – Teifi House, Maerdy, Monday 11am, Cynon Valley Museum, Aberdare, Tuesday 11am, Penrhiwceiber Community Centre, Tuesday 11.30am, Salem Chapel, Llwynypia, Tuesday 1pm, Indoor Bowls Centre, Mountain Ash, Wednesday 11pm, The Muni, Pontypridd, Thursday 12pm, The Butchers, Llantrisant, Friday 10.30am and a new coffee morning, Thursday afternoon in Clydach Vale. Contact Helen Davies on 01685 877183 for more details.

DIGITAL CAMERA AT WORK IN THE VALLEYS
Helen Davies also acts as Menter Iaith’s official photographer by taking photographs of our activities and sending them to websites and the regional newspapers. This will be a chance to see our work for the first time.
Steffan Webb
Chief Executive Menter Iaith