Parti Ponty is fast approaching with more and more arrangements being confirmed. The festivities will begin much earlier this year with the filming of two “Noson Lawen” programmes on the evenings of Wednesday 28/06/2006 and Thursday 29/06/06 in Hawthorn Leisure Centre, Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd. We aren’t quite certain who will be performing yet but Dafydd Iwan has been mentioned which I’m sure will prove very popular.

On Friday evening 30/06/06 CIC will be in Clwb y Bont, Pontypridd with a number of groups - the line up including “Anweddus” from Ysgol Gyfun y Cymer,

“No Star” the winners of Battle of the Bands 2005 and another winner of an C2 award “Ffrisbee” with the evening presented by BBC

Radio Cymru presenters. Ffrisbee are currently No. 1 in the C2 chart. Tickets for the evening are offered at a reduced price when bought in advance so if you fancy a night to remember in Clwb y Bont make sure you get your ticket asap.

On Saturday 01/07/06 we’ll be working with S4C as Triongl perform on the main stage and a variety of popular S4C characters - Fireman Sam, Sali Mali and Superted all making an appearance in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. We’ll also be joined by the National Anthem Choir with 5 schools from RhCT uniting to celebrate our national song as part of a Communities First project. GTFM will be broadcasting a Roadshow from the maes with popular presenters from the local radio station playing a bigger role than ever before in the largest festival held in the area. Do you listen to the ‘Yr Awr Fawr’ show every Sunday? This presents your opportunity to become accustomed with Welsh music.

The schools are, of course, the essence of Parti Ponty and we hope to see YGG Evan James, Bronllwyn, Bodringallt, Castellau, Pontsionorton, Abercynon, Heol y Celyn, Llynyforwyn and many others. Ysgol Gyfun y Cymer and Rhydfelen have also promised to perform during the day. It’s also a pleasure to reveal that a number of English medium schools are eager to contribute with Penygraig Junior, Parc Primary, Tylorstown and Penrhys all agreeing to perform – which clearly shows the amount of support there is for the Welsh language within the community.

The Saturday evening is still to be arranged with many ideas suggested and Clwb y Bont has been confirmed as a venue. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will be responsible for the Sunday and we hope that Red Dragon Radio will once again play an important role. Though there’s less use of the Welsh language on the stage on the Sunday it’s a fun-filled day which allows us to meet people new to the Welsh language.

There will be Welsh stalls including a Communities First refreshments tent, Translators, CYD learners and the local colleges on both days in addition to a climbing wall and bouncy castle weather permitting of course. We hope that the South Wales Fire Service will join us bringing their fire engine, displays and games. The Urdd, as is the norm, will be organising games and running various stalls on the maes. Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin will be present amusing young children and offering places in their playgroups and Cylch Ti a Fi. You’ll also have the chance to buy items thanks to Siop y Bont. When put together Parti Ponty is looking pretty good!

EVAN JAMES BREAKFAST CLUB
Another recent success is the Breakfast Club which has opened in Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Evan James as a partnership between Ysgol Evan James, Menter Iaith and Catering Direct. The club is open for nearly 2 hours every day from 7.30am with the children able to receive breakfast as a result of a National Assembly scheme. We’re very proud of this co-operation and proud to see our children’s services further expanding.

DIFFICULTIES WITH SOME WITHIN RHONDDA CYNON TAF.
It must be noted that the success of the above club was in spite of opposition from some quarters within Rhondda Cynon Taf Council who are supposed to support and promote such developments. We made an enquiry as to whether we’d be able to make an application for funding towards establishing the breakfast club but we informed that this wouldn’t be possible. As Rhondda Cynon Taf Council records noted that such support is available we challenged this response and received both an apology and an application form though the application was refused despite our best efforts. We received an offer of free training from Clybiau Plant Cymru, as is their custom in other parts of Wales, but, unfortunately for us and to their great surprise, Rhondda Cynon Taf regulations didn’t allow us to take advantage of this offer either.

NO SUMMER PLAYSCHEMES
A number of people have asked whether our playschemes will be running during the summer holidays. Though Rhondda Cynon Taf have yet to give a clear opinion on the matter we can be pretty sure that they won’t be running. Based on the Council’s support in the past we worked to obtain grants from other sources in order to create a comprehensive package which would ensure that the playschemes could be provided. As we haven’t gained the Council’s support we don’t have either the basis or time to obtain other grants in order to run the playschemes therefore we apologise that we won’t be running the playschemes.

ACEN SUPPORTING LEARNERS, CIC & MENTER IAITH
Some more success to report, thanks to Acen, who’ve already produced new pamphlets to promote CIC – Cynllun Ieuenctid y Cymoedd and now they intend to publish a CICIO magazine in time for the Urdd Eisteddfod and Parti Ponty. They are also reproducing the cards promoting the Menter Iaith coffee mornings as there are so many now.

WWW.MENTERIAITH.ORG
Have you visited our website? Tens of people do so on a daily basis in order to view the pictures of our latest activities, get the latest information on the playschemes, buy goods from a host of high street stores which produces an income for us and receive e-mails informing them of the latest news by registering online. Give it a go!

Once again, many thanks to our staff and committee for their hard work - here’s hoping that the sun will come from behind the clouds for our children’s services but at the moment it’s still overcast!
Steffan Webb
Chief Executive
Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf