 Projects
Y Ffin
The best of Welsh and anglo-Welsh culture and music will be displayed at the Y Ffin music festival, in Flintshire. The new music festival, held in July will see the best rock and pop bands from across Wales perform, including headliners Sibrydion, Mr Phormula and Derwyddon Dr Gonzo.
In 2009 Y Ffin came to the Rec in Mold, with performers including Sibrydion, Derwyddon Dr Gonzo, Mr Phormula, Racehorses, Lupin Thieves, JKLMNO, Mechanical Owl and Drip Dry Man. Over 1000 people turned out to enjoy the live music on offer.
In 2010, on July 25th, Y Ffin will be coming to Tower Gardens in Holywell to showcase famous bands such as Racehorses, Yucatan, Brigyn, Masters in France, and many others.
“We are so pleased that we’ve been able to secure some of the best rock and pop bands currently on the music circuit,” explains Gwawr Cordiner, Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint Managing Director, who, together with Urdd Gobaith Cymru are organising the event. “The big names have all agreed to attend, and we are so grateful to our sponsors, Cadwyn Clwyd, the Welsh Assembly Government, The European Agriculture Fund and Mold Town Council. Their support means we will be able to offer these fantastic bands from Wales to youngsters, adults and children absolutely FREE!”
Daniel Owen Film Workshop
On May 20th 2010 Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint hosted the Daniel Owen Film Awards Evening, showcasing Welsh-language films produced by talented students from Flintshire high schools. The young people worked with a production company to create short films based upon interpretations of contemporary Welsh poems.
The evening was a well-deserved celebration and a fitting end to the Flintshire film project. Pupils from Ysgol Maes Garmon, Alun School, Castell Alun School, Saint Richard Gwyn Catholic High, Holywell High School and Flint High School came together for the premier, to enjoy an evening of entertainment and to thank the producers, directors and organisers of the project.
The award for best film was presented by the judges; Huw Garmon, an actor famous for his roles in popular Welsh soap opera ‘Pobl y Cwm’ and the Oscar-nominated, film ‘Hedd Wyn’’; also Gwenno Eleri Jones, Arts, Culture and Events Manager for Flintshire County Council, and Cath Aran, a prize-winning professional storyteller and author who has performed across Britain and Ireland.
As well as exhibiting the films, the event was a celebration of Welsh culture with performances from young local talent; harpist Chloe Roberts, singer Seren Sandham Davies and comedian Lloyd Antrobus.
The films are available to view online at www.gwobrdanielowen.co.uk
Saint Dwynwen's Day Fashion Show
An exciting event which raised awareness about the Welsh patron saint of love! Clwyd Theatr Cymru were commissioned to provide workshops supporting pupils from Ysgol Maes Garmon, Alun School, Saint Richard Gwyn Catholic High School and the Welsh College of Horticulture as they set about creating outfits entirely out of recycled materials. Their fun fashions were displayed on the catwalk at a fashion show held in Alun School’s drama studio. The young people had the opportunity to ‘strut their stuff’ on the catwalk, and the award for best outfit was chosen by judges Huw Rees from Wedi3, Sian Alaw from C2 and Sioned Rowlands from the Welsh College of Horticulture. Nic Pari hosted the evening, which was broadcast on S4C!
Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint's Language and Heritage Project
Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint received approval from Flintshire’s Rural Partnership and the Welsh Assembly Government to develop a Language and Heritage Project for the Rural Development programme in Flintshire in July 2008. The project is partly funded by the Flintshire Language Forum, the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint is delivering the project on behalf of the Flintshire Language Forum.
The project provides a Language and Heritage Officer who develops and supports specific projects, in order to raise awareness and understanding of local Flintshire residents and visitors of the Welsh and Anglo-Welsh Culture.
Some of the projects organised by Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint include:
- Community story telling events.
- Heritage and craft workshops.
- Visits to local museums and cultural locations.
- Community workshops including dance and music events.
- Awareness sessions on the Welsh language, culture and heritage.
Here are some of the activities organised by Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint as part of their Language and Heritage project:
Buckley Pottery Mural
A group of enthusiastic Welsh learners came together to work with community artist Mari Gwent came to Flintshire to create a mural based on Buckley’s famous pottery.
The workshops, held January 30th, February 6th and 13th and organised by Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint, were an opportunity for the county’s residents to learn more about one of the area’s oldest industries, create a work of art and practise their Welsh in a relaxed atmosphere.
Storytelling sessions with Cath Aran
On October 20st a’r 21st the nationally-famous storyteller Cath Aran came to Mold to entertain the residents of Flintshire with traditional Welsh stories and fables.
On the 20th Cath went to Bryn Coch and Glanrafon primary schools to relate Welsh stories to pupils and their parents. The following day was the turn of Mold’s secondary schools, Maes Garmon and Alun School, to hear Cath’s interpretation of one of Wales’s oldest legends, that of Blodeuwedd.
The senior classes witnessed Cath’s ‘darker side’ when the lights were dimmed and she related the story of a young girl who lost her head following an encounter with a ghost at a hotel in Rhyl!
Pete Bryon, head of Welsh at Alun School, said “Year 10 enjoyed listening to Blodeuwedd’s tale, and I’m sure they enjoyed the ghost story too, even if a few of them will be sleeping with the lights on for a while!”
On the evening of the 20th, a party of brave adults gathered at Nercwys Tower to hear Cath’s rendition of various ghost stories from across North Wales. They head the story of the Caerwys Witch, the Black Knight with the Red Plume, the haunting of Bryn yr Ellyllon, Rhyl’s haunted hotel; and of course, the history of Rheinallt ap Bleddyn ap Gruffudd who, by all accounts, hung the Mayor of Chester in the same banqueting hall the group were sitting in!
Fun for the Family in Gronant
On September 15th 2009, Gronant Family Centre, Flintshire Menter Iaith and Deeside College held a Fun and Games For The Family afternoon for residents of Gronant, Talacre, Picton, Pen y Ffordd, Ffynnongroyw and Mostyn. Amongst the activities were face painting, nail art, a treasure hunt, Rimbojam karaoke with the Urdd mascots Cadi and Dai, arts and crafts, clay modelling and fun Welsh song and story sessions. All activities were free of charge and there was also an opportunity to sign up for Deeside College’s Fun For the Family Welsh course.
Wild Workshops
During the autumn half term holidays 2009 Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint worked with local companies and societies to hold a number of Welsh-language ‘wild workshops’ to help local children learn more about the natural world. There was a Wild Art session at the Northop Campus of Deeside College, a Survival in the Wild Workshop with the Flintshire Forest School and a Wild Woodlands walk through the through Whitford woods with Iwan Roberts of Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd.
Oakenholt Mural
Throughout March 2009 the popular artist Cefyn Burgess worked with the pupils of Ysgol Croes Atti and members of the community to produce a textile wall hanging for the school hall that will represent the Flint / Oakenholt area. Cefyn Burgess’s work is not only well known in this country but also in the USA where his unique techniques of using textiles to create beautiful murals amaze many people. The mural is on display at Ysgol Croes Atti in Flint.
Puppet workshop
Cwmni Cortyn puppet company visited five primary schools in Flintshire including Ysgol Terrig, Glanrafon, Croes Atti, Gwenffrwd and Mornant to facilitate a puppet making workshop for children under the age of seven. The theme - “Heroes of Wales” gave the children an opportunity to explore their own Welsh identity, history and language. The puppets they created were then displayed at the Gallery at Clwyd Theatr Cymru in December.
Writing workshops
Throughout the Language and Heritage Project Menter Iaith has offered creative writing workshops with famous Welsh authors and poets, including: Mei Mac, Twm Morys, Sian Northey, Iwan Llwyd and Ifor ap Glyn and an Evening with the Taeogion.
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