WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR
We now have another new beginning as we pass Christmas with the days lengthening, and experience the excitement which a new year brings with regards to developing the use of the Welsh language. We have things to celebrate.
MENTER IAITH E-MAIL
Have you registered to receive e-mails informing you of all the activities taking place through the medium of Welsh? You can register online via the Menter Iaith website www.menteriaith.org or by contacting leahcoles@menteriaith.org. Having done this you will receive regular e-mails informing you of plays, musicals, gigs, events for Welsh learners i.e. coffee mornings and Sadwrn Siarad, sport, trips, work and business and much more all being held through the medium of Welsh. It’s all free so give it a try. If you have an event which you’d like to publicise please contact Leah Coles and ask her to place your event on the e-mail system on behalf of your choir, school or community group.
WELSH LEARNERS NETWORKS ARE STRENGTHENING
The third Menter Iaith Sadwrn Siarad is taking place on 28/01/06 in the University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd. Approximately 50 have been present in each of the two previous Sadwrn Siarad so we look forward to seeing a good turnout this time around enjoying lessons, socialising through the medium of Welsh and the chance to buy books and other Welsh medium materials from Siop y Bont.

Welsh learners sub-committees now meet regularly in Aberdare, Maerdy and Llantrisant giving people the chance to meet and discuss how to improve facilities for learners and to assist them in bridging the gap.

The coffee mornings continue to be successful in Aberdare, Mountain Ash, Llwynypia, Maerdy, Penrhiwceibr and Tŷ Ddewi Residential Home with tens of people present every week. Usually, learners attend the coffee mornings in order to meet new people and work together on various projects such as trips or Christmas lunches. We are holding a few of these this year which means a lot of hard work for Menter Iaith staff!

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council staff – Caroline Mortimer, Vivienne Lloyd and the staff of various libraries - are attempting to establish a reading group whilst Menter Iaith are preparing to launch a “Bob Eynon” reading club aimed at learners and school pupils who wish to read light novels and come together regularly to discuss the books as part of the BBC RAW project.
BBC WALES VISITS ABERDARE
Under the leadership of the Chair of Menter Iaith, the BBC is arranging a host of activities for the people of Aberdare during February 2006 with a number of Welsh celebrities also visiting the town. It appears that Jonesi will be visiting on 14th February as part of the “Love Aberdare” week and will be broadcasting live with the Menter Iaith Welsh learners so make a note in your diary. CIC will be arranging for the young people of Aberdare to visit the S4C ‘Jonathan’ show on 07/02/06 with details of the trip available by telephoning 01685 882299.
CIC PARTIES, DRAMA STRATEGY & TRIPS
CIC are very busy arranging their Christmas Party to be held in Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun which hopefully will be as successful as the Beach Party held in Ysgol y Cymer, in addition to a trip to Euro Disney with the Urdd, trips Ten Pin Bowling, Quasar and skiing in Pontypool which will all be taking place during the spring half term holidays. Before this, there will be a consultation session on the draft of the CIC Drama Strategy which has been prepared in order to develop this field from a Welsh language perspective. It is expected that CIC will continue to arrange trips to see Welsh language plays and big English language productions in addition to regularly inviting Welsh language theatre companies to perform their plays in Ysgol y Cymer, Rhondda. The Arad Goch theatre company will be performing there on 07/03/06 and it is CIC’s intention to hold drama workshops and try to resurrect a number of local performing arts companies by September 2006. If you would like see a draft copy of the strategy or receive an invitation to the consultation which is being held on 06/02/06 contact Nicola or Vicky on 01685 882299.
LOSING 30% OF OUR
CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Despite the great interest, the tens of children who attend every evening, the 38 members of staff who are employed every evening and the hundreds of parents who rely on the service it’s with great sadness I report that there is no financial support available from neither the National Assembly nor Rhondda Cynon Taf council to maintain the Clybiau Carco. Both argue that parents need to pay the full price at a sufficient price if they want after school clubs. Our argument with regards to the poverty within the area, the need for social and play services through the medium of Welsh and the great educational value for the children failed to win through. As a result, we will be closing 30% of our clubs over the Christmas period. Unless there is a marked change in the situation the clubs in Bodringallt, Tonyrefail, Pontsiôn-norton, Llanharan, Heol y Celyn and Llynyforwyn won’t be reopening after Christmas. We apologise to those parents who rely on the service, I already know of children who will be changing school to one which has a Clwb Carco.

I would like to ask parents, staff and teachers from other schools which have a Clwb Carco to make a mental note of this development. Each club needs at least 10 children paying full price per night in order to ensure its future. Look at your club and you will see that even more clubs could close in the new year.

An application for funding has been made in order to run the Playschemes during the spring half term holidays and, if successful, the Playschemes will be open as usual. If we aren’t successful the Playschemes won’t be open.
LOSS OF A CHAMPION OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE WITHIN RHONDDA CYNON TAF
Dewi Jones has now retired as the Director of Education for Rhondda Cynon Taf and, since the summer, the council has lost a champion of the Welsh language. Dewi and I didn’t see eye to eye on everything by a long chalk but the loss is great. The council has yet to appoint a successor but has cancelled every meeting of the “Taskforce” which is responsible for administering the council’s Welsh language policy and giving guidance to the council’s Welsh language officials. The work continues with a review of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Welsh language policy being carried out at the moment. I understand that the draft will be available for public consideration very soon or if you’d like to find out more contact the Council directly.
PROMOTING WELSH MEDIUM EDUCATION
In conjunction with Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg and a number of other partners we will be running a campaign to promote Welsh medium education specifically within the Mountain Ash, Cynon Valley and Miskin, Taff-Ely areas where there is scope to see a great increase in the numbers who take advantage of the opportunity to receive Welsh medium education. There was a lot of interest generated when Menter Iaith staff distributed leaflets outside Tesco stores recently so it’s likely that we will do something similar again and we hope that Martyn Geraint will also be present to give a performance.
BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR THE VALLEYS WELSH LANGUAGE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Despite the difficulties, the business service continues with Rhys James who can be contacted on 01685 882299 though he only works one day a week as we don’t have any financial support for this position at the moment. Two interesting sessions have already been held with another two in the pipeline - “Financing Social Ventures” on 31/01/06 which could be of interest to Menter Iaith and other community ventures with another, “True Taste of Wales” on 28/02/06 where there will be the opportunity to taste a number of interesting foods and drinks! I’m really looking forward to that one.
Steffan Webb
Chief Executive
Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf