University's Welsh Learners succeed at Eisteddfod.

Publication date: 12/08/2009

Congratulations to many of the Welsh learners following Welsh for Adults courses at the University's College of Education and Lifelong Learning classes!

Firstly, congratulations to Meggan Lloyd Prys, Welsh Learner of the Year at the National Eisteddfod 2009! Meggan began learning Welsh on her second day in Wales in the summer of 2006. She had moved to Wales to be with her fiancée Cynog, and was keen to learn Welsh so that she could fully join in with his life, his family, friends and community in north Wales.

"Having started on the journey of learning Welsh, Meggan moved very quickly through our range of highly intense courses that we provide at the College of Education and Lifelong Learning. She moved from one level to the next; through Superwlpan, to Superpellach, Superuwch and then Supermeistrioli, completing the courses and becoming fluent in two years," said Elwyn Hughes, Senior Coordinator of Welsh for Adults.

"Her Welsh was sufficiently fluent for her to gain a job at Ysgol Llanfairpwlll. We're now looking forward to greeting her as she joins us as a new night class tutor in September," he added.

The College is offering all the Supercourses again this year, with the five hour a day five day a week Superwlpan starting at the beginning of October.

The Learner's Choir are also to be congratulated. All the members of the choir, which is led by Elwyn Hughes, are current or past Welsh learners on lifelong Learning Classes. As the Choir practices in Welsh, it's a great opportunity to learners at all levels to practice their Welsh in an informal atmosphere. The singing must be of a high standard though! The Choir has won a 'hatrick' this year. They won the small choir competition at the Anglesey Eisteddfod, the Choir competition at Llandegfan Eisteddfod and the Learner's Singing Group at the National Eisteddfod!

In addition to these, there have been other successes among Welsh learners across the Welsh for Adults classes across north Wales. They are to be congratulated for their individual and group efforts. Stuart Davies of Cwrs Pellach in Caerwys cane first in the Solo for Learners, and members of the Cwrs Meistroli in Denbigh came first in the skethch for learners. The Flintshire Lifelong Learning Choir came third out of ten in the Singing Group for Learners.

Out of the 19 who competed, the Magazine for Learners created by the Cricieth cwrs Pellach won in the group work area. Elizabeth Edwards of Mold's cwrs Meistroli won third place in the recitation for Learners.

"Competing in the Eisteddfod gives a real taste of Welsh language and culture- and being successful is a great boost to a learner's confidence to speak more Welsh in their daily lives. Each one of them deserves to be congratulated for their commitment to learning welsh and for their success," said Janet Pritchard, head of the College of Education & Lifelong Learning.

More information about the Welsh for Adults courses is available here.

Thanks to the BBC in the north for the images of Meggan and the Choir.