New Welsh women's group set up in Llandrindod Wells receives a grant from the town council

The Merched Y Wawr branch is establishing a branch in the town to help Welsh speakers and Welsh learners to have numerous different sociable activities.

They applied to Llandrindod Wells Town Council for a grant of £250 to help.

National Director Tegwen Morris said the group would advance public education and in particular to promote Welsh culture, education and the arts through the medium of Welsh for the benefit of women in Wales.

They plan to hold classes, meetings, sessions, competitions and day and residential weekend schools, publish a magazine for members and anyone else who is interested giving accounts of local, regional and national activities, explaining policy, containing articles of general interest to women and any other activity considered necessary or likely to promote these objects.

Ms Morris said the total project would cost about £500 and it would enable them to pay for a meeting room and to pay guest speakers, and workshop leaders through the establishment of this new group. 

An initial meeting was held in October and it was decided unanimously to set up a local branch.

The rest of the cost would be provided by Merched Y Wawr centrally and by fundraising activities and membership fees.

Once the group is established they may apply for local funding and hold fundraising activities until they manage to open a bank account or credit union account.

Llandrindod Wells Mayor Councillor Steve Deeks-D’Silva said; “I have to say I will never learn Welsh because I have too many other things I have to try and remember but I will defend the right of anybody that wants to learn it. Having more and more Welsh speakers it should be encouraged.”

Councillor Sian Meredudd went to the first Merched Y Wawr meeting.

She said: “There were 20 of us and about half of us were Welsh speakers and the other half were learners and they all felt very comfortable that they could only understand bits but they felt as though on coming to the group they would learn to speak proper Welsh rather than learners Welsh. The branch has got plans for social meetings, its really a Welsh women’s institute. It’s really worthwhile.”

Councillor Deeks-D’Silva proposed giving Merched y Wawr £250 and it was seconded by Councillor Steve Sims. Members agreed to give a £250 grant.

For more information on Merched y Wawr visit https://www.merchedywawr.cymru