YOUR CHANCE TO
DEVELOP YOUR
MENTER IAITH
Here we are. Every year the residents of Rhondda Cynon Taf have the opportunity to choose to become a part of Menter Iaith’s work by joining our various committees. The past year was interesting in many ways. Not every member of staff was present at every meeting of the Executive Committee. Instead, all staff presented written reports - specific reports on the work of the Menter Iaith and Communities First’s Children’s Services as well as the ‘Best Value’ report on the work of Communities First.

MENTER IAITH’S
ANNUAL MEETING
This year’s Annual Meeting will be held between 7 – 9pm on Thursday 21st October 2004 in the Menter y Cymoedd Centre, Navigation Park, Abercynon. This is the home of RhCT Council’s Economic Development Department. We have invited Nia Parry, a member of the Welsh Language Board and the presenter of the television programme Cariad@Iaith, to talk about her experiences with learners, television and working with the Welsh Language Board.

OPEN SESSIONS
Menter Iaith has a tradition of holding think tank workshops and seminars and discussing the work’s priorities and direction. During the 3 weeks before the Annual Meeting there will be a series of Open Sessions – displays on Menter Iaith’s work, a chance to ask questions to the Menter Iaith staff and officials and a chance to contribute to the work – in Taf Ely, the Rhondda Valley and the Cynon Valley. An Open Session for learners and others will be held in Model House, Llantrisant from 11.30am onwards on 01/10/04 with a small buffet provided free of charge to all who attend. There is an invitation to learners and Welsh tutors; it is hoped that a community session for RhCT councillors will be arranged during the following week with a community session in the Cynon Valley during the week beginning 11th October.


COMMUNITIES FIRST
IS EXPANDING
This year has seen big changes to our Communities First project. The project has moved to our office in Aberdare thus doubling the number of staff from 1.5 to 3 full time staff – Lindsay Jones, Participation Officer, Helen Davies, Clerical officer

and the vacant position of Youth / Children’s Co-ordinator which will be advertised shortly. The project has been greatly praised by RhCT staff and Assembly officials. We have managed to receive many grants from other Welsh language bodies, assisted many Communities First partnerships to make use of the Welsh language and held the meetings of RhCT’s Welsh Voluntary Movement Forum.

A NEW OFFICE
REQUIRED
IN THE RHONDDA
After a period of 3 years we have had to close our office in Treorci as the site is to be redeveloped. As a result, the Chief Executive is once again looking for somewhere suitable in the Rhondda Valley. If you have any suggestions please telephone. It is possible that there could be a chance to move back to Caemawr’s new estate soon as there are plans to erect a new business development unit as part of the plans for a new housing estate so there are a number of possibilities.

STAFF CHANGES
It appears that there will be a need to say something about staff changes every month. One of the problems of arranging Menter Iaith is ensuring that there is money to do this. Frequently, the money is late arriving, late being confirmed and only for the short term. Those who are leaving shortly or have already left are Amy Davies, Amy Williams and Sali James who are all returning to college to follow teacher training courses. Many thanks for their work and best wishes for their teaching careers. We will also have a community translator funded by the National Lottery and fees to provide a service for Mentrau Iaith Morgannwg Gwent. We’re looking forward to appointing a Communities First Youth/Children’s Officer and to welcoming back Vicky Pugh as the Youth/Work Co-ordinator from her maternity leave.

THE VALLEYS WELSH
BUSINESS LINK
The next Valleys Welsh Business Link meeting will be held from 6pm onwards in the Innovation Centre, Navigation Park, Abercynon on 28/09/04 under the title ‘Good Health’. This is apt as this is the name of Danny Grehan’s company which has been invited to create a massage display with guest speakers from BUPA and the National Assembly.

SUMMER PLAY SCHEMES’
SWEEPING SUCCESS
Menter Iaith’s Children’s Services existence is a complete mystery to me every year. How we manage to continue the services, to comply with the different rules and regulations placed upon us. to attract so many talented, hard working and responsible staff, to turn over so much money and survive financially – I don’t know! I can only thank those who have carried out the work on our behalf this year – especially Amy Williams (Organiser), Gareth Parsons (Treasurer), Huw Thomas Davies and Helen John (Administrative Staff) for their hard work and the faith that they would succeed every time. There were trips to Bristol Zoo, Techniquest, Cosmeston and St. Fagan’s. Plenty of children attended the Play Schemes in Abercynon, Bronllwyn, Llanhari and Rhydfelen. Arts and Crafts sessions were held by Becky Davies and an extra thank you to her for her work during Parti Ponty. Visitors to the Play Schemes included the pop groups DNW and Ag@ti, Danny Grehan’s ‘Hunks in Trunks’ drama session, the story teller Michael Harvey, and Jonathan Edwards’ rugby session. There were daily or weekly swimming sessions, the bouncy castles in Bronllwyn and Llanhari and an innumerable amount of themed parties for the children such as pyjama parties, foods of the world, animals and many more.

PREPARING FOR CLWB CARCO
There’s no end to the activities. There was experimentation while arranging new Arts and Crafts activities. Entertainment and all kinds of activities await with the re-opening of the after school clubs at the beginning of September. The good news is that every club, apart from Penyrenglyn, a school where Welsh is taught as a second language, and where the numbers were very low, will re-open. In order to remind you of their locations after school clubs are run in Aberdare, Abercynon, Bronllwyn, Bodringallt, Castellau, Dolau, Evan James, Heol y Celyn, Garth Olwg, Llanharan, Llynyforwyn, Llwyncelyn, Pontsion-norton, Rhydygrug, Tonyrefail, Talbot Green, Twynyrodyn and Ynyswen.


COFFEE MORNINGS FOR
LEARNERS AND WELSH SPEAKERS
Come and join Menter Iaith staff and officials as well as learners in Aberdare, Tuesday morning, Mountain Ash, Wednesday morning, Penrhiwceiber, Tuesday morning, Llwynypia, lunchtime Tuesday, Pontypridd, lunchtime Thursday, Llantrisant, Friday morning and Maerdy, Monday morning. Many from the coffee mornings went on trips to the Eisteddfod, the Assembly and Llancaiach Fawr with support from Communities First. If you would like the opportunity to socialise using the Welsh language come and help us.

WALES’ WELSH LANGUAGE
INITIATIVES AT THE EISTEDDFOD
Our Menter Iaith had the opportunity to support Mentrau Iaith Cymru Limited during the Eisteddfod by working from Menter Iaith Cymru’s stall and distributing hundreds of BT’s ‘Welsh Every Time’ T-shirts and Cered ‘Welsh First’ as well as thousands of Welsh Language Board pamphlets about Menter Iaith’s work throughout Wales and dozens of pamphlets to Welsh learners. It’s very important that we see independent Welsh Language Initiatives (Mentrau Iaith) developing in Torfaen, Newport, Abergavenny and Monmouth in conjunction with their County Councils. I had the opportunity to speak with the Mayor of Newport who expressed the county’s obvious support for the Eisteddfod and there is a Local Area Scheme in operation there now but we must develop a Menter Iaith in every area of Wales if we are to see the Welsh language as a true national language. Do you know people from the area? Speak with them now.
Steffan Webb
Chief Executive Menter Iaith